Ransilu and Dhanushka for Power-lifting C’ships in Orlando, USA
Sri Lanka will be represented by Ransilu Jayatilleke and Dhanushka Kodikara at the 19th World Open Men and Women Power-lifting Championships to be held from November 13 to 19 in Orlando, USA.
Only these two will leave for Orlando and the Sports Ministry will provide air-tickets and accommodation for them.
Ransilu is ranked 21 in World Rankings whilst Dhanushka is in 24th position. Dhanushka’s event will be held on November 16 while Ransilu will take the stage on November 18. Ransilu also acts as coach for Dhanushka.
255 participants from 29 countries are billed to take part in the event. There will be 145 men and 110 women taking part in the six day event.
This is the first time that Sri Lanka is taking part at the World Power-lifting Championship 2016 in Orlando, USA. This is the last qualifying event for the World Games which will be in Poland next year.
Ransillu Jayatilleke’s target is to get between the best 12 power-lifters in world rankings and qualify for the World Games, and also to be amongst the best six in the dead lift event where he holds the Asian Record in the same event. Ransilu (120kg category) is also a Commonwealth Games medallist and the first Sri Lankan to lift 700kgs.
Dhanushka Kodikara, who is 23 years old and the Commonwealth Junior Gold medallist will take part in the 93Kg category His target is to be amongst the best 15 lifters.
Dhanushka says that he has been ranked second in the National Power-lifting Championships for the past three consecutive years. He won Gold at the Shakthi Power-lifting championships and is ranked 24th in the world power-lifting rankings in the 93kg class. He is in the first junior Commonwealth Gold medalist in Sri Lanka. He started his career in 2013.
The team leftto Orlando on November 11. The event started on November 12.
Both power-lifters went to Canada in December 2015 and won Gold medals at the Commonwealth Power-lifting Championships and qualified for the world championships.