Thomian sprinter Tharusha Dilshan Jayasinghe, a rising star in athletics
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Thomian Jayasinghe and coach Susiripala
Kariyakarawanage Don Tharusha Dilshan Jayasinghe, a 17-year-old student of S. Thomas’ College, Mt. Lavinia has been selected to represent Sri Lanka at the Asian Junior Athletic Championship to be held in Thailand in May.
“He is a promising athlete with a bright future ahead of him,” said S. Thomas’ athletic coach for the past five years Susiripala Goonawardena, a former national athlete.
A dashing wing three quarter in rugby football, Tharusha Dilshan’s talents as a sprinter was spotted by Goonwardena when he came for practices in 2014.
He showed early potential being placed second in the 100 and 200 metre races at the Junior John Tarbat meet in 2015. The following year, he swept to victory in the divisional and zonal meet in both events, being placed second in the 100 and third in the 200 at the Western Province meet.
He was the fastest at the All Island meet held in Bogambara, Kandy and came third in the 200. At the All Island Relay Carnival also held in Kandy he won the gold medal in the 200, silver in the 100 and bronze in the medley relay.
His crowning moment came at the Sir John Tarbat Junior Championship held in Embilitiya in 2016 when he achieved the golden double in the 100 and 200 in addition to a silver in the relay event.
In 2017 and 2018 he improved by leaps and bounds consistently either winning or being placed in both events at the divisional, zonal and Western Province meets.
He used to be timed at 11.2 and 11.4 in the 100 in his early days. He achieved a personal best of 10.9.0 to win the Senior Public Schools 100m event which feat he repeated at the Junior Nationals and All Island meets. In the 200m race he had to settle for bronze at the Senior Public Schools and Junior Nationals.
“S. Thomas’ is famous for cricket and rugby. It is rare to find a champion athlete. He has great potential and I am confident he will do a 10.6 in future. His training programme is geared to achieve this mark,” said Goonawardena, a long distance champion who was in the national pool from 1989 to 1998.
Kulasinghe expressed his gratitude to the Warden of S. Thomas’ Rev. Fr. Marc Billimoria, Sub-Warden Asanka Perera, Director of Sports Dinesh Kumarasinghe, Prefect of Games Aruna Shantha, Teacher-in-Charge Carmen Fernando, Advisor Kapila Wijegoonawardena and coach Susiripala Goonawardena for their encouragement and support.
“I wish to thank all the coaches, masters-in-charge, tutorial staff add Head Master for encouraging me, and my parents, for their support,” said Dilshan.