Officials on joy ride for Wasana’s one gold

Sri Lanka fields 77, India best with only 30 athletes

By Susil Premalal

Sri Lanka’s standout wrestler Nipuni Wasana has set her sights on winning a medal at the upcoming Asian Games in Japan following her historic achievement last week at the Asian Beach Games in China where 32 officials set up base among 77 athletes.

The total expenditure for the tour by the Ministry of Sports amounted to Rs. 70 million as the bandwagon in Sri Lanka sports continues while Sports Ministers come and go.

“My next target is to win a medal in women’s wrestling at the Asian Games,” said Wasana, the only Sri Lankan to secure a gold medal at the event at the Beach Games.

A product of Pannala Welpalla Maha Vidyalaya, Wasana etched her name in history by becoming the first Sri Lankan female wrestler to win a gold medal at the Asian Beach Games. 

She clinched the gold in the women’s 50kg weight category and expressed hopes of reaching the podium at both the Asian Games in Japan and the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland.

Sri Lanka Wrestling Federation president Sarath Hewavitharane said that the country had the potential to win more medals in wrestling. 

“We were only given the opportunity to send two male and two female athletes. We requested to send a team of eight—four men and four women. If that opportunity had been granted, we could have won more medals,” he said.

Sri Lanka fielded one of the largest contingents among South Asian nations at the Asian Beach Games with 32 officials accompanying the 77 athletes.

Despite participating in eight sports, Sri Lanka secured only seven medals from three disciplines—wrestling, athletics and kabaddi.

The Sri Lankan contingent included competitors in sailing, wrestling, volleyball, athletics, kabaddi, basketball, handball, and aquatic sports. However, athletes in sailing, volleyball, basketball, handball and aquatic events returned home without medals.

Coaches also raised concerns over inadequate training and limited facilities provided to athletes prior to the tour.

Although Sri Lanka sent the largest number of participants among South Asian countries, India emerged as the most successful nation in the region at the Games. 

With a smaller contingent of around 30 athletes competing in four sports, India secured three gold medals—two in kabaddi (men) and one in women’s wrestling—along with two silver and one bronze medal to finish sixth overall.

Host nation China dominated the competition, topping the medal table with 24 gold medals. China fielded a strong team of 170 athletes and also secured 18 silver and 13 bronze medals to underline their supremacy at the Games.