Lukas Hettiaratchi offered an Olympic scholarship
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Lukas Hettiaratchi (R) with coach Jiri Danicek
Seventeen-year-old skier, Lukas Hettiaratchi has been offered a Olympic Scholarship by the International Olympic Committee’s Solidarity World Programme Fund on the recommendation of the National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka to assist him to prepare for the 2018 Winter Olympics Games to be held in PyeongChang, South Korea.
Lukas has been involved in winter sports for couple years now. During the ‘Dream Programme’ in South Korea in 2015, Lukas claimed gold in the cross country skiing event and has taken part in several regional competitions overseas. Earlier this year, he represented Sri Lanka at the Asian Winter Games in Japan, Sri Lanka’s first appearance in such a high profile event. He was also Sri Lanka’s flag-bearer at the event.
Lukas is cooperating closely with Sri Lanka Winter Sports Association’, that has been established several years ago to identify and support perspective talents for winter sports. Sri Lanka Winter Sports Association in hand in hand with National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka opened the doors for the young prospective athletes on the field of winter disciplines.
Lukas is training under the supervision of qualified skiing coach Jiri Danicek. He has undergone intense training summer camp in Czech Republic and Slovenia including the time well spent on the ski track. This was possible due to the strong relationships NOCSL and Winter association with the local organisations in Czech Republic and Slovenia.
The Olympic scholarship aims to support Lukas towards successful training in the required conditions and development in the selected winter discipline while the ultimate goal is the participation in Olympic Games.
The next steps down the line for Lukas and his team are qualification contests that will be due over the months to come.
Lukas values this wonderful opportunity and hopes that his success that he has already achieved as a boy from Tropical Island by representing the country and receiving scholarship will motivate many other athletes to look for the opportunities on various sports fields.
