Asian Games medallist Kalinga Kumarage will be the sole Sri Lankan competitor at the weekend’s World Athletics Continental Tour Bronze Label Meet in Nigata, Japan after two leading athletes pulled out.
The two-day meet which will be held over the weekend will be the final overseas competition taken part by Sri Lankan athletes this year.
>>Kalinga, Aruna and Nadeesha qualify for 400m finals<<
The 400 metres specialist is the current Sri Lanka number two in the discipline behind Olympian Aruna Darshana, who too was earlier scheduled to conclude a long season in Nigata.
Darshana has pulled out due to an illness and his coach Asanka Rajakaruna has accompanied Kumarage to Japan.
>>WATCH- Kalinga Kumarage breaks Rohan Pradeep Kumara’s 23-year record in 400M<<
Javelin thrower Rumesh Tharanga, whose 85.45 metres effort at the Asian Throwing Championship is the world’s 13th best performance this year, was earlier scheduled to compete in Nigata alongside the sprinters but has decided otherwise.
Due to a delay in receiving the approval from the Japanese organisers to participate, Tharanga and his coach Tony Prasanna have decided to prepare for the next season instead.
Tharanga produced a stunning performance to win gold with a meet record at the Asian Throwing Championship this year. His effort was just five centimeters short of the qualifying standard for the Paris Olympics.
Article Courtesy – The Island
