Dulan shatters world record at Para Meet

The Sri Lanka Men’s 4X400m Relay team 

Samitha Dulan celebrates (File photo)​

By Susil Premalal 

Sri Lanka’s Samitha Dulan stole the limelight with a world-record performance on the second day of the World Para Athletic Championships, continued in Kobe, Japan yesterday.
The 33-year-old veteran athlete from Deniyaya won the Silver Medal in the Men’s F44 javelin throw event with a splendid performance of 66.49m.
The 2020 Tokyo Paralympics Games and 2023 Paris World Championships Bronze Medallist set up the world record in his very first attempt and followed up with 63.96m, 53.91m, 59.81m, 56.51m and 65.01m in the next five attempts.
India’s Summit Antil won the Gold Medal while competing in the F64 category with a performance of 69.50m while his teammate Sandeep Chaudhary took the Bronze with an effort of 60.41m.
This was Sri Lanka’s second medal at the World Para Athletic Championships after Indika Gamage won a Bronze Medal in the Men’s 100m T44 event.   

       
Asian Relays
Meanwhile, the Sri Lanka 4X400m Men’s team powered their way to win the Gold Medal at the inaugural Asian Relay Championships at the National Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand yesterday.  
The Sri Lanka 4X400 Men’s Relay team comprising of Aruna Darshana, Pasindu Kodikara, Dinuka Deshan and Kalinga Kumarage went on to win the race with a time of 3:04.48s.
India took the Silver Medal with a time of 3:05.76s while Vietnam won the Bronze Medal with a time of 3:07.37s.   However, the Sri Lanka 4X100m Women’s team was pushed to fifth place as they finished with a disappointing time of 45.88s. 
The Sri Lanka 4X400m Women’s team also had to settle for fourth place at this meet.