Lankan Weightlifters on show from April 5 to 9
Sri Lankan Commonwealth Games medal hopefuls will be on show from the first day of the competition (5th April) itself. The XXI Commonwealth Games will be held from April 4 for 15 at the Gold Coast, Brisbane, Australia.
There will be three medal events – Artistic Gymnastics, swimming and Weightlifting while there will be first round events of boxing, squash and Table tennis – making it a heavy schedule on the first day of the competition.
However, last to come out on the field would be the rugby 7s team who would have two days of active competition on 13 and 14 April while the finals will be held on the 15th – before the closing ceremony. The Lankan ruggerites have already arrived in the Gold Coast and are due to begin their training tomorrow.
Explaining this year’s difference, National Olympic Committee Secretary General Maxwell de Silva said unlike the other occasions the arrival of the athletes will be staggered. The first to arrive were the swimming and the athletic contingents and they are engaged in training for the past week or more. The Weightlifters arrived on March 28.
However, the difference would be that anyone other than medal winners would have to go back to Sri Lanka as soon as their particular events are over.
The most looked-forward-to sport — weightlifting — will be held from April 5 to 9 at the Carrara Sports and Leisure Centre. A total of eight men’s and eight women’s events are scheduled to be held.
The Lankan Games team captain Chinthana Vidanage together with Viraj Palangasinghe, Chathuranga Dissanayake, Madushanka Peters, Saman Abeywickrama and Ushan Charuka will comprise the men’s team while the women’s team will include Hansani Gomes, Chamari Warnakulasuriya, Sandamali Rajapaksha and Priyanthi Balage.They will be in action from the first day of the competition.
Last week, while speaking to the Sunday Times, Vidanage said his team was hoping to return to the island with at least four medals.
Sri Lanka’s artistic gymnasts Samanmali Gunatilleke, Amaya Kalukottege and Kaushini Gamage will be on show on April 5 at the Coomera Indoor Sports Centre between 9.00am and 2.00pm and will perform in the sub-division II of the events. They will be featured besides the competitors from New Zealand and Nigeria.
Rhythmic Gymnast Anna-Marie Ondaatje is the other performer and she will be on show between April 11 to 13.
The athletic events begin on April 8 and will go on till the closing ceremony on April 15.
Of the seventeen accredited sports, Sri Lanka will take part in Aquatics, Athletics, Badminton, Boxing, Cycling, Gymnastics, Rugby 7s, Shooting, Squash, Table Tennis, Weightlifting and Wrestling. The full list of Commonwealth Games are — Aquatics, Athletics, Badminton, Basketball, Bowls, Boxing, Cycling, Gymnastics, Hockey, Netball, Rugby 7s, Shooting, Squash, Table Tennis, Triathlon, Weightlifting, Wrestling.