18 medals for Sri Lanka at Asian Games invitational

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The invitational test event targeting the Asian Games was held from the 11th to 14th February in Jakarta, Indonesia where 10 Asian nations participated in the competition. Sri Lanka fielded a contingent of 24 athletes winning a total of 18 medals which included 5 Gold 6 Silver and 7 Bronze medals.

Sri Lanka was placed second by the total rank with India ending up with 22 medals. When the medal rank was taken into consideration Sri Lanka was placed third behind India and China respectively.

ThePapare.com spoke to the President of the Athletic Association of Sri Lanka Gen. Palith Fernando who was not very amused with the performance “18 medals is good but not good enough in my personal view.  We could have done better if our full team had participated. Some of the front running athletes did not participate due to injuries and some of them training in other countries.”

He went on to add that he was very disappointed with the men’s relay team performance” We finished 3rd in the men’s 4X400m relay behind Taipei and India.  The time they clocked (3:08.26) is a very poor time.  Yes we did not have the second best 400m runner but still the team could have done better” President also had some stern words for the 4X100m relay team “We have received complaints from the management that the athletes have not turned up for 4X100m training. Also, there has been an instance where an athlete did not declare any Injury but has pulled out from the team once in Indonesia sighting injury concerns. This is completely unacceptable and will be dealt with very sternly”    

Gen. Fernando however went onto say that the timing of the events was not ideal for Sri Lanka “We need to be mindful that this is the first competition these athletes took part this season. This is the preseason for local athletes with the Sri Lankan Athletic season peaking in June to August which would have been ideal”

Full Medal Tally

Event Name Perfomance
Men’s 100m Vinoj Suranjaya 10.30 secs
Men’s 400m Tharusha Dhanajaya 46.83 secs
Men’s 3000m Steeple Chase R M S Pushpakumara 8:59.70secs
Women’s 3000m Steeple Chase Nilani Ratnayake 9:55.59secs
Women’s Javelin Dilhani Lekamge 55.13m

Event Name Perfomance
Men’s Javeline Sampath Ranasinghe 75.39m
Men’s Decathalon Ajith jKumara
Men’s 4X100m Relay A. Ashraf 39.71secs
Shehan Ambepitiya
Vinoj Suranjaya
Himasha Eshan
Women’s 800m Nimali Liyanarachi 2:07.95secs
women’s 1500m Nilani ratnayake 4:19.25secs
Women’s Triple jump Vidusha Lakshani 13.28m

Event Name Perfomance
Men’s 400m Dilip Ruwan 46.97 Secs
Men’s 5000m R M S Pushpakumara 14:34.86 secs
Men’s Long Jump Pradeep Wimalasiri 7.82m
Men’s 4X400m Dilip Ruwan 3:08.26 secs
Thushara Dhananjaya
Kalinga Kumara
D N Rajakaruna
Women’s 400m Upamalika Ratnakumari 54.89secs
Women’s 800m Gayanthika Abeyrathne 2:08.27secs
Women’s Triple Jump Hashini Paboda 12.98m