Friday, 29 March 2024
9-man Lankan Paralympic team heads for Rio

9-man Lankan Paralympic team heads for Rio

The 9-man Sri Lanka contingent for the 2016 Paralympic Games took wing to Rio, Brazil on Sunday (4).

The team will be led by Anil Prasanna Jayalath who will compete in the T42 100 and 200 meters and the Long Jump.

He is the holder of the Asia Oceanic and Asian records in these events.

Gamini Ekanayake and Dinesh Priyantha Herath will take part in the F44 Javelin and Sampath Hettiarcahchi will take part in the F46 Javelin Throw.

Ajith Hettiarachchi will line up alongside the captain for the T 44 100 and 200 meters and the 400 meters.

Amara Indumathi will compete in the women’s T47, 200 and 400 metres, and the Long Jump, together with Indika Chuladasa in the T42 100 and 200 meters.

Upali Rajakaruna will represent the country in wheelchair tennis, whilst Sampath Bandara is in for Archery.

Anil Prasanna Jayalath, skipper of the Sri Lanka (SL) team to the Rio Paralympic Games, says that Sri Lanka won a Bronze at the 2012 London Olympics.

“Our aim is to keep the SL flag flying at Rio too,” said Anil.

Skipper Anil hails from Varanketagoda MV, Ampara. In 2009, he lost his leg to a gunshot during the Civil War.

He is 4th in the Paralympic World rankings.

“I have trained very hard and I am mentally fit. We have an experienced woman athlete in Amara Indumathie.

Coaches of the Sri Lanka team are Rohitha Fernando, Ranjith Hewanama, Vimukthi de Soysa and Anula de Costa.

Chef De Mission is Brig. R. Wickremasinghe.

The Paralympic Games will be held from September 7 to 18 with 4,500 para athletes from 176 nations taking part in 528 events from 23 sports.

(Sunday Times)

Last modified on Friday, 09 September 2016 09:13