Sprinter Fathima Shafiya Yamick, who became an overnight sensation following her record-breaking triple gold medal haul at the South Asian Athletics Championship 2025 in Ranchi, India, dedicated her victories to the people of Sri Lanka, thanking them for the overwhelming support she received over the past few days.
The Sri Lanka athletics team received a hero’s welcome at the airport, where several officials — including Minister of Sports Sunil Kumara Gamage — and enthusiastic supporters gathered to greet the team, which finished runner-up at the championship with an impressive 16 gold medals.
The undisputed star of the meet was 26-year-old Shafiya, a sprinter hailing from Viharamahadevi Girls’ College, Kandy, who stole the spotlight by winning gold in the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m relay, setting meet records in all three events.
“I didn’t have much competition in the 100m — I knew it was my medal to win. In the 200m, there was an Indian girl who was faster than me, but I managed to beat her and break the record. She was ahead after the first curve, but my 100m speed helped me catch up and overcome her challenge on the straight,” Shafiya said.
She credited her school for supporting her from a young age, even sponsoring her tuition fees.
Shafiya has also spoken openly about the challenges she faced due to her religious background — one such video currently circulating on social media has sparked widespread discussion.
“Initially, even my mum didn’t like me competing in athletics. But my dad was always behind me — he’s still my biggest supporter. In 2016, during the Central Province Championship, my father somehow convinced my mother to come to the ground. When she saw me winning, her perspective changed instantly, and she’s supported me ever since,” Shafiya recalled.
“Now, both my parents are my biggest supporters. They wake me up early, send me to training, and stand by me in everything I do.”
Despite the noise on social media, Shafiya brought clarity and calm during the grand welcome in Kandy yesterday, addressing the controversy with a humble appeal for unity:
“Please avoid sharing posts that create division. In our village, we have no racial or religious conflicts — Muslims, Sinhalese, Tamils, Buddhists — we all live together in harmony,” Shafiya said.
Trained under Coach Sumith Vithana since childhood, Shafiya rose from an average sprinter to new heights this year. She clocked 11.51 seconds in the 100m, becoming Sri Lanka’s joint third-fastest woman ever in the event — behind Olympic silver medalist Susanthika Jayasinghe and Olympian Damayanthi Darsha. It was a significant leap from her previous personal best of 11.91 seconds.
In the 200m, Shafiya broke the 24-second barrier for the first time during the Defense Services meet and went on to set a new personal best in India, clocking 23.58 seconds.
“I’ve faced many obstacles throughout this journey, but I don’t want to dwell on them during this happy moment. I’m grateful to my family, everyone at the Sri Lanka Army where I work, my team, and all those who supported me along the way,” she added.
With the championship marking the end of Sri Lanka’s 2025 athletics season, attention now turns to 2026, where the Asian Games and Commonwealth Games await. Top athletes like Aruna Darshana, Yupun Abeykoon, and Tharushi Karunarathne skipped this regional event to focus on those major competitions.
“Next year we have the Asian Games and Commonwealth Games, and I’m hoping to compete in both. The South Asian Games are also scheduled for early next year, and I aim to win all three gold medals again. And of course, we’re just three years away from the 2028 LA Olympics — that’s my ultimate goal,” Shafiya shared.
When asked about the public’s overwhelming support in recent days, Shafiya smiled and said:
“These three medals are for you.”