Sri Lanka looks for better performance at Special Olympics 2017

By Hishan Welmilla

Sri Lanka’s contingent to the Special Olympics 2017 is getting ready for a better performance when the competition is worked off in Austria from 14-25 March. 

“Sri Lanka is expected to field eight athletes at the competition and is optimistic about winning more medals than their last appearance in 2015,”says Sri Lanka Special Olympics (Serendib) Chairman Dr. Nimal Kariyawasam.

“We are looking for support from corporates to find funds to meet the expenses from the Sri Lankan contingent this time as well. I must thank Bank of Ceylon which came forward to provide financial assistance for the team’s air travel at the eleventh hour. Apart from that I must mention the support we received from Kompass Consultancy Dubai which provided the official attire and tracks kits for the Sri Lankan contingent and the Bata Shoe Company Sri Lanka which provided the athletes with the required running shoes with the intervention of Sri Lanka’s first sports website www.srilankasports.com,“ Dr. Kariyawasam added. 

The Sri Lankan team won three golds, two silvers and two bronzes at the 2015 Special Olympics, which concluded on 2 August 2015 in Los Angeles.

Sri Lanka fielded seven athletes at the Special Olympics who competed in athletics and badminton. 

In the previous year’s competition Akbo Jayawardana won two gold medals for Sri Lanka in the men’s 200 metres Division 52 and men’s 100 metres Division 62 events. Jayawardana clocked 42.76 seconds in the men’s 200 metres Division 52 and recorded a timing of 19.02 seconds in the men’s 100 metres Division 62. He also competed in the men’s 100 metres Division 60 and men’s 200 metres Division 46 but was not able to earn a spot on the podium.

Diliki Fernando won the first gold medal for Sri Lanka on the very first day of the competition in the women’s 400 metres Division 8. She completed the event in a time of one minute and 20.10 seconds. Furthermore, she competed in the women’s 200 metres Division 19 and finished sixth with a timing of 35.00 seconds. She also competed in the women’s 400 metres Division 10 event and clocked 01 minute 22.84 seconds.

Preethika Gamage gave Sri Lanka its first silver medal at the competition when she emerged second in the women’s 1,500 metres Division 1 with a time of 5 minutes 48.77seconds. She made Sri Lanka proud again when she clinched the bronze medal in the women’s 800 metres Division 2 in a time of two minutes and 52.11 seconds.

Manojan Jayachandran was the other silver medallist for Sri Lanka. He competed in the men’s 100 metres Division 54 and clocked 24.48 seconds to take the medal for Sri Lanka.

Thilan Vitharana bagged Sri Lanka’s second bronze medal when he placed third in the men’s singles badminton MCG9 event. Mayooran Arsakulasooriyan is the other bronze medallist for Sri Lanka. He achieved this feat by coming third in the men’s 100 metres Division 61 with a time of 17.45 seconds. Mayooran finished sixth with a timing of 40.22 seconds in the men’s 200 metres Division 47 event.  Meanwhile, Sureka Gammaddge competed in the women’s 100 metres Division 3 and finished fifth with a timing of 16.44 seconds. She failed by a few centimetres to grab the bronze medal in the women’s Long Jump Division F10. She managed to finish fourth in the overall positions with a jump of 2.86 metres.

The Special Olympics is held every two years in the summer. Over 6,500 athletes from 165 countries will descend upon Austria to show the true meaning of courage, joy and determination. Athletes will compete in different sports at venues across Austria.