Shafiya the Star as Sri Lanka End Runner-Up at South Asian Athletics Championship
www.ceylonathletics.com
Kandyan sprinter Shafiya Yamick, 26, lit up the track with a record-breaking hat-trick of gold medals, stamping her supremacy in South Asian sprinting as Sri Lanka clinched 16 golds to finish as overall runners-up at the South Asian Athletics Championship 2025.
Yamick’s journey to glory was anything but easy. Six years ago, in her first senior season, she was heartbreakingly omitted from the 2019 South Asian Games squad—despite being the sixth member of the relay pool. With the team downsized, she didn’t even make it as a reserve. While many of her junior circuit peers gave up the sport, Yamick persevered through years of obscurity, the COVID-19 pandemic, and economic hardship.
Her moment arrived when the senior championship returned for the first time since 2019. Yamick delivered her finest performance yet—winning the 100m, 200m, and anchoring the 4x100m relay to gold—all while breaking meet records in each event.
A former student of Viharamahadevi Girls’ College, Kandy, Yamick reunited with longtime coach Sumith Vithana this season and clocked 11.51 seconds, the third-fastest time ever by a Sri Lankan woman, behind legends Susanthika Jayasinghe and Damayanthi Darsha. In Ranchi, she ran 11.53s (100m), 44.70s (4x100m relay), and 23.58s (200m)—breaking the long-standing meet record held by Indian icon P.T. Usha.
Sri Lanka’s sprint dominance extended to the men’s events, with Chamod Yodasinghe winning the 100m title in 10.30 seconds, and anchoring the men’s 4x100m relay to gold—both in meet record time.
Madushani Herath shone in the jumps, winning gold in both triple jump (13.36m) and long jump (6.23m).
On the final day, Olympian Rumesh Tharanga threw 84.29m to win men’s javelin gold, earning the Best Male Athlete title of the championship. In the women’s javelin, Nadeesha Dilhani Lekamge broke the meet record with a 60.14m throw to claim gold.
Harsha Karunarathne, elder brother of Olympian Tharushi Karunarathne, added another medal to the family’s expanding international legacy.
Sri Lanka’s men’s 4x400m relay team closed the campaign in style, leading from start to finish and winning gold in 3:05.12, another meet record. The women’s team narrowly missed gold, settling for silver.
Missed Opportunities and Administrative Setbacks
Not all stories ended in triumph. Chamini Herath, scheduled to compete in the 5000m, was unable to participate due to travel arrangements not being finalized in time. Discus thrower Milantha Sampath received his visa only on Thursday evening, forcing a rushed arrival for Friday’s start.
Sri Lanka’s athletics administration is currently overseen by the Ministry of Sports, following the suspension of the Athletics Association. Elections have yet to be held, and management decisions continue to spark debate.
One such decision may have cost Sri Lanka a gold in the men’s 200m. Rising star Omel Silva, who recently ran 20.88 seconds to break the national junior record, was not entered in the event—despite being present in Ranchi as part of the relay team. The gold was won by India’s Sandeep Singh in 21.23 seconds, while Sri Lanka’s sole entrant Indusara Vidushan claimed silver with 21.42 seconds.
Gold Medals by Sri Lanka (16)Women
100m – Shafiya Yamick – 11.53 seconds
200m – Shafiya Yamick – 23.58 seconds
4x100m Relay – Sri Lanka (Dananjana Fernando ,Amasha de Silva, Rumeshi Rathnayaka , Shafiya Yamick anchor) – 44.70 seconds
Long Jump – Madushani Herath – 6.23 meters
Triple Jump – Madushani Herath – 13.36 meters
Javelin Throw – Nadeesha Dilhani Lekamge – 60.14 meters
400m Hurdles – Dasuni Kaushalya – 58.66 seconds
10,000m – Rasara Wijesuriya – 34:39.95 minutes
Men
100m – Chamod Yodasinghe – 10.30 seconds
4x100m Relay (- Pramudith Silva, Sandun Diyalawatta, Indusara Vidusan, Chamod Yodasinghe) – Sri Lanka – 39.99
4x400m Relay – (Omel Silva, Ayomal Akalanka , Kalhara Indupa, Kalinga Kumarage) Sri Lanka – 3:05.12 minutes
Javelin Throw – Rumesh Tharanga – 84.29 meters
800m – Harsha Karunaratne – 1:51.96 minutes
Triple Jump – Pasindu Malshan – 16.19 meters
400m –Kalinga Kumarage 46.21seconds
High Jump- Tharindu Dasun 2.17M
Final Medal Tally
