Sri Lanka youth bag 12 medals at Asian Para Games
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The Youth Para team upon arrival at the BIA, Katunayake on Wednesday
Sri Lanka bagged a total of 12 medals, including four each of gold and silver, at the 4th Asian Youth Para Games 2021, which concluded in Manama, Bahrain this week. Out of the four gold medals, three were won by swimmer Galina Basnayake while Mohamed Shafran won the other gold medal for Sri Lanka.
Galina, a student of Lyceum International School, bagged gold medals in S1-10 50m Freestyle, S6-10 100m Freestyle and S6-10 400m Freestyle events for women, while bagging the silver medal in the S6-10 100m Butterfly event.
She recorded her personal best timing in the S6-10 400m Freestyle event of 5 minutes 25.27 seconds while clocking 1 minute and 12.09 seconds in the S6-10 100m Freestyle event where she won gold medals. In the S1-10 50m Freestyle event Galina clocked 32.99 seconds. Her timing in the S6-10 100m Butterfly event to win the silver medal was 1 minute and 32.86 seconds.
Shafran, a student of Kekunagolla, Arakyal Muslim Maha Vidyalaya, won the gold medal in F42-47 Under-17 Men’s Long Jump event clearing a distance of 5.60 metres. He also won the silver medal in T42-27 Under-17 Men’s 100m event clocking 13.39 seconds.
Jason Jayewardene of Gateway International School bagged the silver medal in F40-41 Men’s Discus Throw event reaching a distance of 13.84 metres. He also won the silver medal in F40 Men’s Shot Putt event with a distance of 6.64 metres.
Janani Wickramasinghe of Suradutha Balika Maha Vidyalaya, Kuliyapitiya, won three bronze medals, in the events of F42-47 Long Jump clearing a distance of 4.38 metres, F42-47 100m clocking 13.88 seconds and T47 200m with a timing of 29.36 seconds.
Naveed Rashin of D.S. Senanayake College, won a bronze medal in S6-10 400m Freestyle swimming event for men with a timing of 5:20.59.
In addition Isuru Weerakkody of Lumbini College was placed fourth overall in the F42-47 Under-20 Long Jump and T42-47 Under-20 100m events for men. He was also placed overall seventh in the F42-47 200m Men’s event. In addition Ravindu Samarakoon of Richmond College, was placed overall seventh in the T12 200m event for men. He was assisted by Pansilu Pasan.
Sri Lanka was represented by seven athletes, five in track and field and two in swimming — Galina Basnayake and Naveed Raheem, the team captain. The track and field athletes were Mohamed Shafran, Janani Wickramasinghe, Jason Jayewardene, Isuru Weeakkody and Ravindu Samarakoon, who was assisted by Pansilu Pasan.
The officials who accompanied the team were Priyantha Peiris (Chef de Mission), Lasanthika Sriyakanthai (Lady Chaperon ), Dr. Asanga Basnayake (Team Doctor and COVID Liaison Officer), Nalinda Senarath (Coach, Athletics), Dumeera Maduranga (Coach and Representative, Ministry of Education), Julian Bolling (Coach, Swimming). The team returned to the island on Wednesday.
A total of over 750 athletes from representing 30 countries across from the Asian region took part in the five-day event, which had nine sports disciplines for the age categories of 20 and under. The sports were athletics, badminton, boccia, goalball, powerlifting, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo and wheelchair basketball.
Pix by T.K.G. Kapila
Galina with coach Julian Bolling
Janani with coach Nalinda Senarath
Jason with coach Dumeera Maduranga
Naveed Raheem