World recorder holder and gold medallist in the Javelin throw at the Para Olympics in Tokyo Dinesh Priyantha and bronze medallist in the javelin throw Samitha Dulan have been included in the Sri Lanka Para Athletic team that will participate at the Fourth Para Asian Games to be held in Hangzhou China from October 22 to 28. The contingent will leave Sri Lanka on October 16 in two batches.
Dinesh Priyantha who will be the captain of the side, said that he wants to repeat his performance at the Tokyo Paralympics and bring another gold medal in the F46 category to Sri Lanka. He is looking fit and well and should be able to emerge on top establishing another world record, is participating for the sixth year.
The other athlete who has been included is javelin thrower Samitha Dulan who won a bronze medal at the Paralympics and is also confident of winning a medal of higher quality again.
Another athlete who looks likely to win a medal is table tennis player Dinesh Deshappriya who has done well in international events in the past. He hails from a family of table tennis players and should be in the correct frame of mind to excel at the Para Asian Games.
Sri Lanka’s wheelchair tennis players like DM Gamini and SR Dharmasena have also excelled in foreign competitions are expected to win medals as well.
The Para Athletic Association of Sri Lanka has selected a 26 member squad with many of them having the potential to win medals. The contingent will be 43 with the coaches and officials. This is the only discipline where several Sri Lanka athletes win medals and deserved to be exposed for future benefit.
Squads:
Archery: Sampath Bandara, Open Men’s singles/Men’s doubles, WAJN Weerathunga, Open Men’s Singles/Men’s Doubles
Athletics: Dinesh Priyantha Herath, (Captain), Javelin in F46, Samitha Dulan, Javelin in F44, SMASM Subasinghe 100 M & 400M in T46, Pradeep Somasiri, 1500 M T46, Nuwan Indika, 100M & Long Jump in T44, Palitha Bandara, Shot Put in F42, Kumudu Priyanka, 100M & Long Jump (Female) in T46, Prasanna Jayalath, 100M & Long Jump in T42, Buddika Indrapala, 100M & Long Jump in T42, Janani Dhananjana, 100M & Long Jump (Female) in T46, Dilki Umeshika Fernando Shot Put (Female) in F20, Deshan Silva, Shot Put in F40, Heshan Fernando, 100M & Long Jump in T46, Thisara Jayasingha, Shot Put (Female) in F57, Amila Prasan, 100 & 400M in T44.
Badminton: Sanjeewa Perera, Men’s Single in SL4.
Power lifting: Jayasingha Ratnayaka, Up to72 K.
Rowing: Priyamal Jayakody, Men’s 2000M Single Sculls (PR I M1x), Samitha Samanmalee, Women’s 2000M Single Sculls (PR 1 W1x)
Swimming: Nadin Basnayake, Women’s 100M, 400M Freestyle & 100M Butterfly in S9, NR Raheem, Men’s 100M, 400M Freestyle & 100M Butterfly in S9.
Table Tennis: Dinesh Deshappriya, Singles Open.
Wheelchair Tennis: SR Dharmasena, Open Singles / Doubles, DM Gamini, Open Singles / Doubles
Be the first to comment