By Dhammika Ratnaweera
Youth Olympic contingent that concluded a very successful feat in Buenos Aires, Argentina returned home on Saturday with Bronze medalist Parami Maristela stealing the lime-light at the Katunayake International Aiport being welcomed by athletic officials in numbers at the occasion.
However, Shuttler Hasini Ambalangodage, who although failed to win a medal in her individual event representing Sri Lanka but became the first youth Olympian to win a gold medal was overshadowed by the individual brilliance of promising athlete Parami Maristella, who is a success story in Sri Lanka athletics in the recent years.
Hasini representing the team ALFA won the Gold Medal in the mixed international relay in badminton at the Youth Olympic Games Her team consisted seven other shuttlers from USA, Bulgaria, Canada, Italy, India, Cambodia and Sweden.
Mopped by the journalists on her arrival at Katunayake airport, Parami was asked more about the contributors and the lack of facilities than on her victorious medal, for which the young athlete was dumb-founded in her answers. Although, unwantedly Parami had to reveal the broken promises of the sports ministry with their contributions to her success, but mentioned and thanked about the contributions of the education ministry and other well wishers.
Eventually, young Parami even earned the wrath of the Olympic medalist Susanthika Jayansighe, who came to the defence of the sports minister after being appointed as a consultant to the ministry of sports a few weeks ago saying that the youngsters nowadays are demanding all the facilities, not knowing what they had to go through in the past to bring an Olympic medal for the country.
Nevertheless Parami seemed well focused about her future and promised to achieve more for the country given the necessary facilities and training required. “My next aim is to win an Olympic medal and wanted to work hard for that” said Youth Olympic bronze medalist Parami Maristela promising high to the sporting fraternity.
On her success story, she remembered much about her trainer Janith, who had been of immense assistance personally for her training and other facilities not forgetting the dedication and support from her parents.
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