Weightlifting team given a grand welcome

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The Sri Lankan weightlifting contingent, who managed to win three medals at the 21st Commonwealth Games in the Gold Coast, Australia, returned to the Island yesterday (12th) to a grand welcome.

Read – The team that lifted the weight of a nation

This is the best performance at the Commonwealth Games by a Sri Lankan team of weightlifters as Sri Lanka won a Silver and two Bronze medals with many competitors managing to establish new national records and Personal bests in their respective weight categories. The team was welcomed at the Bandaranaike International Airport by the Hon. Minister of Sports Dayasiri Jayasekara, Officials of the weightlifting committee and friends and well-wishers of the members of the team. The team was escorted in an open top bus to Colombo where they were felicitated at the sports ministry premises.

R B Wickramasinghe who was the head coach on the tour explained how although the team only ended up with 03 medals they narrowly missed out on 2 more medals and many of the lifters despite not managing podium finishes at the competition, achieved their personal bests and managed to establish many national records. He also profusely thanked his management team on tour Assistant Coach Navindhra Dayan, and Upul Bandara Jayathilake for their support.