Sri Lanka will field a nine-member contingent for the 2024 Paralympic Games, sources from the National Paralympic Committee of Sri Lanka revealed.
The 2024 Paralympic Games will be held from August 28 to September 8 in Paris, France.
The Sri Lanka Paralympic Team will include seven athletes, one swimmer, and one wheelchair tennis player. The Sri Lankan Paralympic Squad will include only one female athlete.
The Sports Ministry has allocated LKR 12 million for the Sri Lanka Paralympic Squad, Director General, Department of Sports Development Professor Shemal Fernando told the media yesterday.
Over 500 athletes will participate in the 2024 Paralympic Games in 22 different sports disciplines.
Sri Lanka have won one gold medal and three bronze medals in the Paralympic Games history.
Dinesh Priyantha won gold and bronze at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games and the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games, respectively, while Pradeep Sanjaya won bronze at the 2012 London Paralympic Games and Dulan Kodithuwakku won a bronze medal at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games.
Samith Dulan will compete on September 2. Earlier only Dinesh Priyantha Herath took two medals, bronze at 2016 Rio and gold in 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games from Javelin throw F -46 event. Samitha Dulan the skipper of the team this time also named as ri Lanka team flag barrier at the opening ceremony on August 28.
Palitha Bandara the first ever Commonwealth Games para sport silver medalists from discus throw and he is going to compete in F -42 shot put event in his second Paralympic Games.
He was placed fifth with 13.40m at shot put at last Paralympics in Tokyo while he did his personal best 14.27m at last world para athletics also in medal prospect while Nuwan Indiaka also strong contingent at T-44 100m.
Janani Dhananjana the only womens athlete as well as youngest of the team just 18 years old will compete in women’s T-47 long jump. Naveed Raheem is the first Sri Lanka para athlete to take part this time in this Paris Paralympic on August 29 in swimming S-9 400m free style while Nuwan Indika will compete in T-44 100m heat on August 31st.
Suresh Dharmasena who also take part in his second Paralympic from wheel chair tennis on August 30 th at open single event. Anil Prasanna Jayalath from T-42/63 100m will compete on September 1st while long distance runner Pradeep Somasiri will compete in T-46 1500m on August 31 st. Janani Dhananjana will take part T-47 long jump on September 5th while Palitha Bandara will compete in the F-42 shot put on September 7.
Sri Lanka National athletic coach Y.K Kularatne ,Sajith Jayalal, Pradeep Nishantha and Dhanushka Perera will join the tour party as coaches in the Paralympics.
The Sri Lanka Paralympic Squad:
Athletic: Samitha Dulan (Men’s F-44 javelin throw), Nuwan Indika (Men’s T-44 100m), Pradeep Somasiri (Men’s T-46 1,500m), Palitha Bandara (Men’s F-42 shot put), Prasanna Jayalath (Men’s T-42 100m), and Janani Dhananjaya (Women’s T-47 long jump).
Swimming: Naveed Rasheen (Men’s S-9 400m freestyle).
Wheelchair tennis: Ranjith Dharshana (Men’s Open Singles).
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