Sri Lanka will commence their campaign to top the medals table at the 3rd Asian Para Games (APG) when they participate in the Women’s Long Jump finals today at the (GBK) Main Stadium in Senayan, Jakarta.
According to the organizers the Long Jump finals of T45/46 and 47 commence at 8.30am and the next event will be the Men’s Javelin Throw at 10.30am. The heats of the track events will also be held today.
SL National Paralympics Committee (NPC) president Maj. Gen. Rajitha Ampemohotti said they will make a bigger impact this year than the last occasion.
“It is extremely difficult to win medals at Asian Games but our Para athletes have been training hard. According to the talent they possess, this time they hope to win Gold, Silver and Bronze medals,” he said. At the last edition Sri Lanka pocketed 14 medals.
Indonesia kicked off the 3rd Asian Para Games at the Gelora Bung Karno (GBK) Main Stadium in Senayan, Jakarta with a heartwarming ceremony on Saturday.
A gigantic “Disability” sign was placed in the middle of the main stadium.
Arrows were then shot into the air and all at once the “DIS” letters in the sign were shattered, leaving “ABILITY” intact in the middle of the stadium, making the spectators at the venue roar.
The Sri Lanka team led by 2016 Rio Paralympics Bronze medalist Dinesh Priyantha Herath will field 35 athletes representing 9 disciplines comprising 2 Archers, 20 Athletes (Track & Field), 1 Shuttler, 2 visually impaired Chess players, 1 Powerlifter, 2 Swimmers, 3 Shooters, 1 Paddler and 3 Wheelchair Tennis players.
Previously, the APG was called the FESPIC Games (Far East & Pacific Games) which began in 2002 in Korea, where Sri Lanka bagged more than 24 medals including 6 gold medals. Subsequently, the Games were held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in 2006, before rebranding it as the 1st Asian Para Games, in China in 2010. The 2nd APG was held in South Korea, 4 years later. On both the previous occasions, Sri Lanka bagged more than 22 medals.
This year, Sri Lanka is represented by world class athletes in the likes of Paralympic medalist Dinesh Priyantha Herath (Javelin) and top rankers such as Upul Indika Chuladasa (100m, 200m) and Sampath Hettiarachchi (Javelin), along with prospective medalists in the likes of Sampath Bandara (Archery), Dinesh Desapriya (Table Tennis) and Gamini Dissanayake (Wheelchair Tennis).
North Korea and South Korea marched together under the unified flag at the Asian Para Games opening. It marked the first time that the two countries have ever participated in a combined march at a Para-sport event. Two joint flag bearers were utilized at the Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium – wheelchair fencer Kim Sun-mi from the South and swimmer Sim Sung-hyok from the North.
Be the first to comment