“It’s me against myself ’’ Yupun Abeykoon
There are dozens of Sri Lankan sportsmen and women based or serving overseas, faring exceedingly well, beyond expectations and producing high-flying results. Many of those names are from the gentleman’s game of cricket.
But in the modern era, from athletics, two names have joined that list namely high-jumper living in the US, Ushan Thiwanka, and Yupun Abeykoon, himself. Recently alone, Abeykoon has been in rich and rare form, peaking at the right time with the Commonwealth Games (CWG) approaching fast.
Abeykoon, the 27-year-old Lankan lad, based in Italy, is blessed with long limbs for his height of nearly six feet. Having such long limbs is a boon and boost in athletics and swimming. Epitomising examples for these are Usain Bolt, the fastest man of all-time and Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian in history. 
That naturally gifted physique is inherent and what comes as an added advantage is he is outside the country, competing all around the world. Stationed outside Sri Lanka, he regards it key.
“Definitely training abroad has been the key for me to come this far,” Abeykoon told the Sunday Times from Italy.
“The technology used in sports is very advanced and that’s just one of the reasons that you see improvements in athletes in me and in the world,” he continued.
Only days after speaking, and just last week, June 31, he clocked an impressive 10.08 seconds (-1.2 m/s) at the 61st Golden Spike, Ostrava, Czech Republic. That was only the tip of the iceberg as in the last few weeks, he has been busy breaking records.
The 10.08second timing was sweeter, after he ran with the likes of Jamaican sprinter Yohan Blake, and Abeykoon still finishing in fifth placed. This is the second time he shared the same stage along with the world famous name, since the Tokyo 2020 Olympics adventure.
He has enjoyed the best possible, that too, a ‘head start’ into the CWG Birmingham 2022, set to start next month. In the red-hot form he is in, Abeykoon is expected to blaze the tracks of Birmingham.
Speaking about the form of his life he said, “I would say that my current form is due to the hard work, effort I have put into achieving my goals. Especially my mindset, because I believe these goals are achieved because of the concentration I have put into to become better every day,” the self challenging Abeykoon said.
“It’s always me against myself,” the prodigious runner self-proclaimed.
“So I always try my best at training as well as to do my best in competitions. I think I’m running well this season and the season just started and it’s a very long way to go. So at the end of the season, we can turn back and see the progress and what needs to improve for the next competitions,” explained Abeykoon, running high on a purple patch of a form.
The South Asia’s fastest sprinter, commenting on the next major meet, is now focused in making the most at the CWG trip.
“Just like all the athletes who are training for CWG each and every day to make a podium finish. I am working hard as much as I could to give out my best at the event. My only focus is to do this for myself and give out my best at the event while the result that comes out of it is something extra I achieve,” he revealed of his goal.
Responding on the troubles and travails of finding meet practices, Abeykoon said, “My coach wanted to do some competitions. My meeting manager is working on it. It’s very hard to find a lane in bigger meeting. If I get the opportunity I’m going to do my best at them.”
Currently ranked as world’s 35th fastest in the 100m, he has been bulldozing records, flashing in the headlines, and getting bouquets from all corners and quarters. This was subsequent to the Lankan express renewing the national as well as the South Asian records for 200m running in 20.37 seconds (+0.1 m/s).
That was only the start, as he became unstoppable and the record breaking runs tumbled.
In that process, Abeykoon laid the icing on the cake, when he clocked his personal best in 100m at Anhalt, Germany, only late last month posting the magical time of 10.06 seconds (-0.2 m/s). The old boy of St. Joseph Vaz, Wennappuwa, has been in that record breaking mode.
Fresh from that the CWG awaits, as Abeykoon is now all set. Thanks to the stellar form he has been steaming in, he has emerged as a medal prospect for his country of origin. Is the best yet to come, one will have to wait-and-watch.