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Monday Sep 23, 2024
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By Hishan Welmilla in Ashgabat
Sri Lankans had only chess and wrestling left at the 5th Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games currently underway here in Ashgabat to take any medals apart from athletics.
But three Sri Lankan competitors who were in action in wrestling were unable to progress to the next level of their respective events which unfolded from Sunday (24).
In Men’s wrestling the first Sri Lankan to compete was Sujitha Maduranga in Men’s Freestyle -74 kg qualification round. He fought with Sahergeldi Saparmyradow of host nation Turkmenistan. But the hometown boy grabbed the event with 10-0 technical points in the first period.
Asha Niroshani competed in Women’s Freestyle 48kg Qualification round against Indonesia’s Shanita Eka and it was easy battle for the Indonesian who won the fight with 6-0 technical points from the first period itself.
Charles Divoshan Fernando competed in the Men’s Freestyle -57 kg against Wanhao Zou of China in the straight quarter final event. But Charles could not overpower the resistance from his opponent and lost the game with 11-0 technical points.
Shamika Madushani (Women’s Freestyle -53 kg) and Deeepika Dilhani (Women’s Freestyle -58 kg) will be the two wrestlers to be seen in action from Sri Lanka as the games reach the end.
Chess events started on Thursday (21). Rajendra Katugampitiya, Romesh Weerawardana (Men’s Standard Individual) Dasuni Hansika and Zinab Saumy represented Sri Lanka in chess and could not make any impact in their first games.
Weerawardana was able to record two wins in Men’s Standard Individual event and beat Shuaau Muhammed of Maldives in Round 3 Game 20 (1-0) while wining against Ahamed Ashraf who also represented Maldives (1-0) in Round 5 Game 20.
Katugampitiya also competed in the same event category and was only able to record two wins and it did not help him to make progress further. He beat Ahamed Ashraf (Maldives) and Malek Saif (Jordan) in the qualification rounds.
Dasuni Hansika competed in the Women’s Standard Individual event and recorded wins against Nihaya Ahmed (Maldives) and Tied with Sultan Sharmin (Bangladesh) while receiving a bye in the 7th round worked out on Sunday.
Zinab Saumy also managed to record two wins in Women’s Standard Individual event beating Nihaya Ahmed (Maldives) and Faranaz Sadat (Afghanistan) in the qualifying rounds. She competed with Sarocha Chuemsakul (Thailand) yesterday as her final game in the category.
Sri Lanka hope to seek some medals in Men’s and Women’s rapid under 23.
Sri Lanka have secured four medals so far and those were recorded in Indoor athletics. The only Gold medal so far which earned a place in the medal tally has been won by Gayanthika Abeyrathna (Women’s 800m). Indunil Herath (Men’s 800m) and Amila Jayasiri (Men’s long jump) brought Silver medals and Manjula Wijesekara bagged Sri Lanka a Bronze medal in indoor athletics.
The host nation leads the medal tally with 194 (74 Gold, 54 Silver and 63 Bronze) while Iran in the second place with total of 78 medals (20 Gold, 15 Silver and 43 Bronze). Uzbekistan in the third place with 90 medals (16 Gold, 26 Silver and 48 Bronze)
Sri Lanka placed in the 22nd position at the end of the eight day of the games.
Sri Lanka would have win more medals if they could send more participants in athletics, says athletics coach Sajith Jayalal. “We could have easily won five more medals here at the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games. Men’s and Women’s Relay Team, Women’s Long Jump, Women’s 3000m and Women’s 1500 are some of the medals we could take home if we send the athletes for those sports,” Sajith Jayalal said.
He could not answer as to who should be responsible for sending athletes and for selection.
The blame has already been placed on the National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka (NOCSL). But NOCSL President Hemasiri Fernando says the organisation is not responsible for this.
“The selections been done by the respective sports governing bodies. They should point out on the medal prospects with evidence and get more athletes to the contingents. NOCSL has nothing to do with the selection of athletes to any game,” Fernando added.
He is critical of the National Selection Committee of which he is also a member as the President of the National Olympic Committee. “I don’t know what they are doing. I have not signed any final team selection for the last six months as I do not agree on some selections at all,” Fernando said.
