Sri Lanka will be fielding seven powerlifters for the Commonwealth Powerlifting Championship which will be held in Potchefstroom, South Africa from 10th to the 17th of September.
This is the largest Sri Lankan powerlifting contingent to a Commonwealth Championship. In 2015 Sri Lanka only sent two powerlifters to the Commonwealth Championship held in Canada. At the competition, Sri Lanka’s most decorated powerlifter, Ransilu Jayathilake became the overall winner in the 120kg weight category. Under Jayathilake’s tutelage Dhanushka Kodikara who competed in the junior category, won Sri Lanka’s first junior gold medal.
This year the gold winning duo will be joined by 5 more lifters. Sri Lanka will field 04 lifters in the senior category and one each in the Junior and the Veteran’s category. The competition will kick off with the classic and equipped competitions on the 11th of September. Overall classic championship will commence on the 12th of September which will be followed by the overall equipped championship scheduled to commence on the 17th of September.
Sri Lanka is aiming at 4 overall gold medals at the championship with the previous medalist Jayathilake and Kodikara who are expected to excel in their disciplines. Mothilal Jayathilake, father of Ransilu Jayathilake will also be part of the contingent as a coach/referee alongside I P Nandasena (Coach) while Kapila Kumara will serve as the manager on tour.
Sri Lanka Team for Commonwealth Championship
