Sri Lanka Kayaking team impressive
View(s):Participating in their first overseas competition, the Sri Lankan Kayaking team showed very few nerves as they generated an impressive stream of solid performances at the 15th Asian Sprint Canoe Championships, which was worked off in the city of Samarkand in Uzbekistan last month
The four-member team comprised of three athletes, R. Wijerathna, K. Kumara, D. Tharanga, and Manager-Coach Mihin Amarasinghe.
Wijerathna, rowing for Sri Lanka Navy, displayed considerable skill to make it into the semifinals of the K1 1000-meter event. He then went a step further in the K1 5000-meter, but unfortunately was disqualified in the finals after overrunning a buoy.
His colleague from the Navy, K. Kumara, was unable to replicate his exploits, falling in the first round of the K1 500- meter race. Sri Lanka Air Force’s D. Tharanga though made fair headway in the competition, moving into the semifinals of the K1 200 meters race.
The Asian Sprint Canoe Championships ran from September 26 to 29, and drew the participation of a record 28 countries from the region.