Sri Lankans return after promising show

The Sri Lankan athletics team on their arrival at the Katunayake airport yesterday

By Susil Premalal

The Sri Lankan athletics team, which ended runners-up to India at the South Asian Senior Athletics Championship returned with a tally of 40 medals that included 16 gold medals.

The cynosure of all eyes was Shafiya Yamick who won three gold medals in the women’s 100m, 200m and 4X100m relay.

India ended the championship with a tally of 58 meals that included 20 gold medals. 

Nepal, Bangladesh, the Maldives and Bhutan merely made up the numbers from among the six countries that took part in the championship while Pakistan stayed away for geopolitical reasons.

Nepal won two silver medals and four bronze medals for a tally of six medals while Bangladesh won three bronze medals and the Maldives won one bronze medal.

Bhutan finished without winning a medal.

Sri Lanka was represented by 59 athletes at the championship and Rumesh Tharanga was adjudged the Best Male Athlete for his gold medal in the men’s javelin throw.

Women’s sprinter Shafiya Yamick with her three gold medals