Lankan juniors for Ho Chi Minh challenge
View(s):Sri Lanka Athletic Association is expected to send a contingent of 18 to 22 athletes to take part in the 17th Asian Junior Athletic championship to be held at Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam from June 2 to 5.
Conducted by the Asian Athletic Confederation a total of over one thousand Asian athletes from 42 countries are expected to take part. It was informed by the confederation to the SLAA a that a team of eleven athletes is to be sent for the championship. SLAA hopes to increase the number of participants considering the performances of the selection trials. It is learnt that the SLAA will have to pay an additional sum of US $ 150 to the AAC for each additional athlete from the permitted number by the organisers.
Sri Lanka Athletic Association expects to increase the contingent as they are expecting the men’s and women’s relay teams to reach a good performance at the trials. The junior athletic championship is scheduled to be held at the Mahinda Rajapaksa Sports Complex, Diyagama from May 12 to 15. The SLAA will count this junior championship as a trial for final selections for the Asian junior championship. Up to the 16th Junior Asian Championship Sri Lanka had won four gold, ten silver and six bronze medals, a total of 20 medals.
Damayanthi Dharsha and Olympic medallist Susanthika Jayasinghe had establish records in the 100m and 200m events at the Jakartha championship in 1994 respectively. Sri Lanka won two gold, two silver and two bronze medals at the 15th Colombo Championship in 2012.
- SP