Five Weightlifting medals expected
Chinthana Geethal Vidanage won the first Commonwealth gold for SL
Sri Lanka has targeted to bag five medals including two gold at the Commonwealth Games, Gold Coast, Australia from April 4 to 15, 2018. This was stated to the Sunday Times by Nalaka Hewamadduma, President Sri Lanka Weightlifting Federation.
Seventy Commonwealth countries will take part in the competition featuring 18 sports. Weightlifting will be held for five days from April 5 to 9, 2018. The two gold medals are expected in the 56 kg and 62 kg events.
“In the history of the Commonwealth Games, Sri Lanka has won one gold, two silvers and one bronze. The first gold was won by Chinthana Vidanage in 2006 at the Melbourne Commonwealth Games. His weight category is the 56kg. Chinthana also won silver at the Delhi Commonwealth Games. Sudesh Pieris won a silver medal at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games in 2014. Sudesh also won silver at the Delhi Commonwealth Games in 2010. Sudesh’s event is the 62kg weight category,” said Nalaka.
An 18 member pool taking aim at the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games has now been formed and training is now being conducted without a break. Ten men and eight women are included in this pool.
Nalaka Hewamadduma says that amongst the sports in Sri Lanka only weightlifting maintains a national pool throughout the year. Around Rs. One Million, excluding foreign tours, is needed to maintain this pool. The National Olympic Committee has promised that five weightlifters will be given a sponsorship until the Commonwealth Games. The weightlifters have not been decided upon as yet and they are hoping to give this sponsorship to those who are certain of winning medals at the Commonwealth Games.
“The Sri Lanka Weightlifting Federation is the only sports body maintaining the annual sports calendar without a break. For this year they have planned four local competitions and four international contests. The senior and Junior Novices Championships will be held on March 18 and 19. The Sri Lanka Intermediate Championships will be held on July 8 and the Junior Nationals will be held on September 23 and 24 and the National Championships on November 11 and 12.
The International competitions are: IWF Youth Championships from April 1 to 11 in Bangkok, Thailand; the 9th World Masters Games from April 21 to 30 in New Zealand; The IWF Junior World championships from June 16 to 23 in Japan and the IWF World Championships from October 17 to 25 in Malaysia. For the Malaysian Championships the Asian Junior, Asian Senior and Asian Youth events have been included.
Sri Lanka tried to stage the Commonwealth Games in Sri Lanka in Hambantota but failed the bid by 27 votes to 43 to Australia.