Sri Lanka to send six-member team for Asian Weightlifting Championship

By Susil Premalal

The Sri Lanka Weightlifting Federation (SLWF) is planning to send a six-member team for the Asian Weightlifting Championship.

The Asian Weightlifting Championship, postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic last year, will be held from April 16 to 25 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, according to the Asian Weightlifting Federation.

This is the first time Sri Lanka’s weightlifters will be taking part in a competition since the 2019 Kathmandu South Asian Games (SAG). Four men and two women are expected to participate in the Asian event, according to SLWF Secretary G. Nishanthan.

A trial to assess the performnce of the Elite weightlifting pool in Polonnaruwa and the names of the athletes selected would be sent to the national selection committee for ratification.
New Sri Lanka records were set by five men and two women of the Elite pool.  

Nilanka Isurukumara, Thilanga Palangasinghe, Chinthana Vithanage, Indika Dissanayake, Shanaka Pieterz (men) and Chathurika Priyanthi and T.N. Haputhenna (women) set a total of 16 Sri Lanka records. The Asian competition in Uzbekistan is the final qualification event for the Tokyo Olympic Games.