By Dhammika Ratnaweera
The third edition of the Asian Para Games will be held from 6to 13Octoberin Jakarta, Indonesia, where Sri Lanka will field a team of athletes representing nine different sporting disciplines, which include archers, athletes (track and field), badminton players, visually impaired chess players, powerlifters, swimmers, shooters, table tennis players and wheelchair tennis players.
Sri Lankan contingent consisting many a past medal winnings are very confident that they could come up with improved performances and win as many medals as possible to the national flag. Sri Lanka is represented by world class athletes in the likes of paralympic medalist Dinesh Priyantha Herath (javelin) and top rankers such as Upul IndikaChuladasa (100/200m) and Sampath Hettiarachchi (javelin), along with many more medal winners at the Asian Level with potentials from archery (Sampath Bandara), table tennis (Dinesh Desapriya) and Gamini Dissanayake of wheelchair tennis.
In the previous Asian Para Games, which were called the FESPIC games (Far East and Pacific Games) which began in 2002, Sri Lanka bagged more than 24 medals including six gold medals in Korea and the games continued in 2006 in Malaysia. After the renaming, The 1st Asian Para Games was held in China in the year 2010 and the second Asian Para Games that was held in South Korea four years later and Sri Lanka grabbed more than 22 medals.
“It is noteworthy to mention the support and assistance we have received from the Ministry of Sports and the principal sponsor of the National Paralympic Committee (NPC) Dialog Axiata PLC, for their continuous support towards empowering the athletes for the Asian Para Games this year,” said National Paralympic Committee President Major GeneralRajitha Ampemohotte.
“Dialog is pleased to have partnered with the NPC since 2002 to provide support for these athletes who will bring honour and glory to Sri Lanka,” said Dialog Axiata PLC General Manager – Brand and Media Harsha Samaranayake.
He added: “Sri Lankan para athletes have performed well in the last few international meets and Dialog will continue the support as a strong proponent of powering para athletes, parallel to our philosophy of empowering all segments of society to excel on a national and international stage.”
Image Caption – Dialog Media and Marketing General Manager Harsha Samaranayake hands over Para Asian Sponsorship to National Paralympic committee chairman Major General Rajitha Ampemohotti at a press briefing held at BMICH.
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