Coach Susantha predicts great future for young athletic star Tharushi
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Recording a comfortable win in the Girls' Under-16 800m event last year
Dissanayake Mudiyanselage Tharushi Dilsara Karunaratne, who turns 16 next month is following in the trail of her elder brother Harsha Karunaratne. Both Harsha and Tharushi are products of Susantha Fernando and Walala School of Sports. Tharushi’s inspiration, her brother Harsha, won a silver medal in the 800m at the 2017 Asian Youth Athletic Championship in Thailand and she follows the same success with great dedication.
The second child in a low-income family of three from Hasalaka, Ududumbara in the Kandy district, Tharushi is a natural athlete who has blossomed into a star through sheer hard work and determination despite training with limited facilities. Tharushi Karunaratne has the potential to not only represent Sri Lanka but win medals at international level, according to renowned athletic coach Susantha Fernando.
The new record timing set by the rising star Tharushi
The 15-year-old sprinter blazed to glory at the All-Island School Games last year when she set new records in the 400m and 800m events in the Under-16 Girls category. She scorched the Sugathadasa Stadium track clocking personal bests of 56.54 seconds in the 400m and 2 minutes 14.00 seconds in the 800m, timings which were better than winners of the higher age categories. She also set a new 800m record of 2:17.00 at the Sir John Tarbat Meet in 2019.
“She will not only represent Sri Lanka, she will definitely win medals at Asian level. She has the talent and skill,” said her coach Susantha Fernando, who took Tharushi under his wing in 2016.
“She was 13 when she came to me and was doing 100m and 200m events. I do talent identification tests for everyone to see what is the event which suits each athlete. After a couple of tests, I decided she is good for 400m and 800m events,” said the long-time athletic coach of A. Rathnayake Central, Walala, who has been serving as Assistant Director of Sports,Wattegama Education Zone since 2003.
Tharushi with her proud parents
Tharushi is one of two junior athletes selected for the ‘NOCSL-Crysbro’ scholarship programme for two years. Her timing in the 800m is better than the Asian Youth Games average bronze medal time of 2:15.20, according to former Sri Lanka sprinter in the 100m and 200m Shehan Ambepitiya, who won three gold medals at the 2008 Commonwealth Youth Games.
She competed in the 100m and 200m events at the Inter-House Meet in her village school after her talents were spotted by her first coach Pushpa Kumudini. She later excelled at circuit meets. Her talents bloomed when she went on a sports scholarship to A. Rathnayake Central, Walala and was a member of the 4x400m relay team which won the All-Island School Games in 2018 in a record time. Her first major individual achievement was winning a bronze medal in the 800m at the Junior Nationals that year.
Tharushi will be sitting for her O/L exam this year and hopes to study in the Commerce stream and also hopes to gain entrance to University to pursue higher studies. A dedicated athlete, she trains morning and evening, willing to go the extra mile to the Digana Provincial Sports Complex and putting in the hard yards in her pursuit of achieving international glory on the track.
“My target is to run 400m in 54 seconds and 800m in 2:10,” declared Tharushi, who is undoubtedly one of Sri Lanka’s future athletic stars.