Athletes told to buckle up ahead of trials

Merone Wijesinghe

By Susil Premalal

The Ministry of Sports has announced that the first national athletic pool selection trials for 2026 will be held on February 27, 28 and March 1 at the Mahinda Rajapaksa Stadium Diyagama.

The trials will identify athletes for several upcoming international competitions, including the Commonwealth Games, Asian Games, Youth Olympic Games and South Asian Games. Performances at these trials will determine the revised 2026 national training pool.

Sri Lanka’s sprinting depth continues to grow highlighted by Merone Wijesinghe who recorded a personal best of 10.31 seconds in the men’s 100m at the Perth Track Classic last Saturday. The timing places him joint-sixth on Sri Lanka’s all-time 100m list, alongside Shehan Ambepitiya (2010).

Sri Lanka’s all-time best men’s 100m performances point towards Yupun Abeykoon – 9.96 (2022), Himasha Eshan – 10.22 (2019), Vinoj Suranjaya – 10.27 (2018), Chamod Yodasinghe – 10.27 (2024), Chinthaka de Zoysa – 10.29 (1999), Shehan Ambepitiya – 10.31 (2010) and Merone Wijesinghe – 10.31 (2026).

Wijesinghe’s achievement underscores the resurgence of Sri Lankan sprinting, with multiple athletes now consistently performing near sub-10.30 levels and highlights the importance of international competition exposure in preparing for continental and global championships.