10 June 2021 12:00 am
By Susil Premalal
The National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka (NOCSL) confirmed that two-time Olympian and veteran badminton star Niluka Karunaratne is the fourth player to make the Tokyo 2020 Olympics for Sri Lanka.
He will be joining showjumper Mathilda Karlsson, gymnast Milka Gehani and shooter Tehani Egodawela.
Only Karlsson has qualified for the Olympics with the rest having being on invitation from the Tokyo Olympic Games Tripartite Commission for Invitation Places quota.
The chef-de-mission of the contingent will be NOCSL Treasurer Gamini Jayasinghe.
Chef-de-mission Jayasinghe said that unlike other games the Covid-19 challenge has put an added responsibility upon the Lankan contingent.
“Japan being one of the most technologically and medically advanced countries and most of its day-to-day life is going on unabated we can take some courage from the situation. As for the athletes who are competing at the Games this will be a beacon of hope. I reckon with the situation at hand our Lankans should perform to their true potential,” he said.