Sri Lanka Finishes Second with 40 Medals at 4th South Asian Senior Athletics Championships

Women’s javelin gold medalist Dilhani Lekamge 

By Susil Premalal

Sri Lanka’s athletes delivered an outstanding performance at the 4th South Asian Senior Athletics Championships (SASAC) 2025, finishing second overall behind hosts India with a total of 40 medals, including 16 gold, 14 silver, and 10 bronze.

The three-day meet, held in Ranchi, India, concluded yesterday with participation from six South Asian nations (excluding Pakistan). This edition marked the return of SASAC after 17 years, since its previous edition in 2008.

A highlight of the championship was 26-year-old rising star Shafiya Yamick, who claimed a gold medal hat-trick with two new meet records. She won:

100m Gold – Meet Record: 11.53s

200m Gold – Meet Record: 23.58s

4x100m Relay Gold – Meet Record: 44.70s

India topped the medal table with 58 medals (20 gold, 20 silver, and 18 bronze), while Sri Lanka followed closely in second place.

Historically, Sri Lanka has never topped the SASAC medal standings (held in 1997, 1998, 2008, and 2025). The only time Sri Lanka surpassed India in regional athletics was during the 1991 South Asian Games in Colombo.

Sri Lanka’s Gold Medal Winners

100m Men: Chamod Yodasinghe – 10.30 seconds

100m Women: Shafiya Yamick – 11.53 seconds (Meet Record)

Triple Jump Men: Pasindu Malshan – 16.19m

Triple Jump Women: Madushani Herath – 13.26m (Meet Record)

High Jump Men: Tharindu Dasun – 2.17m

400m Men: Kalinga Kumarage – 46.21s

4x100m Relay Men: Sri Lanka – 39.99s

(Pramudith Silva, Sandun Diyalawatta, Indusara Vidusan, Chamod Yodasinghe)

4x100m Relay Women: Sri Lanka – 44.70s

(Dhananjana Fernando, Amasha de Silva, Rumeshika Rathnayaka, Shafiya Yamick)

800m Men: Harsha Karunarathna – 1:51.96s

Javelin Throw Men: Rumesh Tharanga – 84.29m

400m Hurdles Women: Dasuni Kaushalya – 58.66s

Javelin Throw Women: Dilhani Lekamge – 60.14m

Long Jump Women: Madushani Herath – 6.23m

10,000m Women: Rasara Wijesuriya – 34:39.95m

200m Women: Shafiya Yamick – 23.58s

4x400m Relay Men: Sri Lanka – 3:05.12m

(Omel Sashintha, Ayomal Akalanka, Kalhara Indupa, Kalinga Kumarage)