By Dhammika Ratnaweera
Sri Lankan weightlifters are expected to take part at the World Weight lifting championships now underway in Thailand for the next ten days. Eight member Sri Lankan team comprised with six men’s and two women’s qualified to take part this event and Sri Lankan team scheduled to leave two days before the tournament.
Most experienced Sri Lankan weight lifter Chintana Geethal Vidhanage the former Olympian and gold and silver is the most senior player in this team expected to take part 81 kg weight class while Sudesh Pieris the silver medal winner of the 2014 Commonwealth Games and Indika Dissanayake the 2018 commonwealth Games silver medal winners also strong contingents for the team . Y.D.I Kumara, Thilanga Palangasinghe and Chaturanga Lakmal are the other members of the men’s team
The women’s team comprised of Hansani Gomes (49Kg) and Chamari Warnakulasuriya (55kg ) the most experienced women’s duo in this sport.
Indika Dissanayake who will compete 73kg in this competition also captained the Sri Lanka team said that this world championship was going to be very tough for Sri Lankans but the achievement of the championships will be considered for the Olympic qualifications. “After this competition, we have another one International tournament to get the Olympic standard. We are focused for the next Tokyo Olympics and this challenge is very important to get selected to the Olympics” said Dissanayake who was the only silver medal winner at the last Commonwealth Games.
Dissanayake said the inability to take part in the last commonwealth weightlifting championships due to a visa issue was a big loss for them to get international experiences and thus far the need qualification for Olympics. “We will give our best to make it to Tokyo 2020 Olympics,” said Indika Dissanayake.
R.B Wickramasinghe the head coach for weight lifters will be with the team while Rukshan Gunatilleka and T.U.M.B Jayatilleka the two assistant coaches and masseur D.M.U Dissanayake also will accompany the team . Sports Minister Harin Fernando gave expenses of Air tickets for the team while other all requirements including food and lodging from the Department of the Sports Development.
Weightlifting was the most successful sport for the Sri Lankan contingent at the last Commonwealth Games and when compared to the other sports in Sri Lanka weight lifters earned more medals recently at the International Games.
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