Sri Lanka expects over 10 medals at Asian Youth Para Games
Some of the key members that will represent Sri Lanka at AYPG
The Third Asian Youth Para Games will commence today and will end on December 14 in Dubai, UAE.
Over 600 athletes from over 40 countries will take part in the event. The event is being conducted by the Asian Paralympic Committee (APC). Eight Sri Lankan athletes and four officials are currently in Dubai for the event.
Priyantha Peiris, Vice President, Sri Lanka Paralympic Committee said that a strong team is currently in Dubai for the championships and Sri Lanka is participating only in athletics and swimming out of the ten sports in the Asian Youth Para Games and over 10 medals are expected including gold medals. The fact that Yoshitha Prabath who won a gold medal last time is also in the team which is a great strength to the overall team.
The first edition commenced on 2009 in Tokyo. The second edition was held in Kuala Lumpur in 2013. This is the second time Sri Lanka is taking part in the event. In the last edition Sri Lanka won three gold medals and three silver medals.
The gold medals were won by Yoshitha Prabath (T54 wheelchair 100 metres). Other than that Shehan Sanchtha won (the T42 javelin). Farshan Mohammed won the (T20 100 metres gold medal). All three of them won the silver medals in shot-putt, javelin and 200 metres.
Sri Lanka team (Boys) – G.W. Pradeep Somasiri (T46 200 metres and 400 metres): U.D. Yoshitha Prabath (T54 javelin, shot-putt, 100 metres); Ishara Buddhika Liyanage (T46, 100 metres, 200 metres, long jump); Nassar Mohammed (T20 100 metres, 200 metres); Naveed Rahim (swimming S44, 100 metres freestyle, butterfly and backstroke).
Sri Lanka girls team – N.M. Ayesha Damayanthi (T 42 100 metres and shot-putt); D.G. Rasanjali Anupama (MRI 400 metres, 1500 metres, long jump), K.A. Nirosha Dilhani (25 inch, 100 metres, discus and shot-putt).
Team Officials: Lt. Col. Dananjaya Aludeniya (Manager), Nalini Ranasinghe – (Lady Chaperone).
G.D.Nelson (Athletic Coach), L.V. Fernando (Swimming Coach)