The Athletics Association has elected a team of 16 athletes for the forthcoming Asian Athletics Championship which will take place in Qatar from 21-24 April.
The team includes nine athletes who achieved the specified qualifying standards which were prepared taking into consideration the average bronze medal timings, while five others who came very close to the qualifying standards, too, were included.
Apart from that, second and third place finishers in the women’s 400m, Dilshi Kumarasinghe and Upamalika Rathnakumari, were included as members of the 4x400m relay team. Nadeesha Ramanayaka, Dilshi Kumarasinghe, Nimali Liyanarachchi, and Upamalika Rathnakumari will run for the women’s 4x400m relay.
The 200m runner Rumeshika Rathnayaka and javelin thrower Dilhani Lekamge, silver medallists at the 2017 Asian Championships, will miss out. Rumeshika did not compete in both selection trials which resulted in her omission, while Lekamge’s highest performance during the trials was 54.40m, while qualification standard was 57m.
Defending 800m gold medallist Nimali Liyanarachchi and 800m silver medallist Gayanthika Abeyrathne are the only former Asian Championship individuals to been included in the team. Ajith Premakumara, who won silver in the 4x400m relay team event in 2017, will compete in the 400m this time.
The selected team is subject to Minister of Sports Harin Fernando’s approval.
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