Sri Lanka Athletics has always been a topic of interest in the eyes of the nation. From the era of Duncan White and Susanthika Jayasinghe to Shehan Ambepitiya and Shelinda Jansen, the Lankan athletes has always found a way to perform their hearts out, keeping the country on the edge of their seats, full time.
One young man, currently residing in the United States of America training full-time, has been making headlines in the foreign and local news reels the past few months in the lead up to the much-awaited Tokyo Olympics 2020 Games.
Read: Milka De Silva, on the edge of glory
A proud prodigy of Maris Stella College, Negombo Ushan Thiwanka Perera was a promising National Champion in the High Jump event. The 23-year-old attended Texas A&M University of Commerce while being an out-and-out member of the Athletics Team, competing in various International meets during his stay.
The year 2021 has been particularly good for Thiwanka as he has managed to break 5 records in 5 months. He has climbed his way to the top of the South Asian Ranking list with a leap of 2.30m, making him the only Sri Lankan/South Asian to ever achieve this height in the history of the sport.
Earlier today (9) Thiwanka competed in the Lone Star Conference Championship and renewed his own High Jump Record with a magnificent leap of 2.30m.
Watch Ushan’s historic jump: https://fb.watch/5nz-sArLCm/
In January of 2021 he achieved his first big win clearing 2.21m. Not long after in February he topped the height by 2.24m. March was a busy month for Thiwanka as he bested two heights of 2.26m and 2.28m to be crowned National Champion over now retired Manjula Kumara’s record of 2.27m.
And at today’s Outdoor Championship Ushan Thiwanka achieved the near impossible of 2.30m edging that much close to an Olympic Qualification this year. The qualification standard for the Tokyo Olympics 2020 has been set at 2.33m and Thiwanka will have just less than 2 months to dig deep if he desires a slot.
With this achievement, Thiwanka moves inside the Top 3 of the World’s Best High Jumpers, according to the World Athletics Organization standings.
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