Lankans honing their skills

2008 Olympics in Beijing

By S.R. Pathiravithana

With only 82 more days to reach the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics the Lankan athletes and AASL officials are buzzing on with their preparations. In the international circuit Sri Lanka’s ace woman athlete Susanthika Jayasinghe who made her mark in the 2000 Sydney Olympics taking the bronze medal, is steadily progressing.

She missed her first outing in the final lap when she missed taking part in the Jamaican Grand Prix a week ago owing to a travel preparation mess up did very well at the Doha Grand Prix doing the 100 metres in only 11.24 seconds. According to AASL secretary Prema Pinnawela, Susanthika though only taking the fourth position in that event had paced her self well. He said “It had been a very relaxed effort by Susanthika, but, her timing of 11.24 puts her within the first twenty-five in the World right now”.

Susanthika’s was down to take part in the Addida’s Grand Prix in Los Angeles, United States last afternoon where she was expecting to improve her time 11.20 if possible. However she will take part in two more international meets before her date in Beijing and they will be at the Oslo Grand Prix in Norway and the Berlin Grand Prix in Germany in mid July.

Meanwhile twenty-four-year-old Javelin Thrower B.L. Nadeeka Lakmali also faced a slight setback when she could not make her trip as promised to Cuba due to internal developments over there. However she will be present at two international meets initially. First will be in Bangkok and the other will be in Kaoshing in Chinese Tiapei.

Her final outing before the Olympics will be in Kazakhstan on 7 and 8 June. Commenting on Lakmali AASL secretary said “This meet will be a good Test for the young thrower as the former Soviet Union produced many a champion in this field of activity at the Olympics in the past and in this meet eighteen countries from the region will be taking part...” He also added “Whatever the outcome at the Olympics Nadeeka is still young and willing to learn, I personally look for her to mature by the end of the decade and be ready to perform at the next Asian Games, the Commonwealth Games in India in 2010 and the next Olympics in 2012”.

However a the matter of concern is with the men’s 4 x 400 men’s relay team which comprises the trusted combination of Prasanna Amerasekera, Rohitha Pushpakumara, Asoka Jayasundera, S.M. Weerasooriya and T.H.D. Priyashantha.

On this development Pinnawela said – “To make the mark in this event they will have a generalised timing of 3.2 to 3.5. However their present average is around 3.6 to 3.7 which is not sufficient at that level. So we have decided to give them some more exposure to develop. Initially they will be taking part in two international events in Thailand – in Bangkok and Korat. This will be on the 23 and 26 June respectively. Then finally they will move to Hanoi to take part in an international meet on the 30th of June”.

Women’s 100m Top 25
100 Metres 2008
World Record: 10.49 Florence Griffith-Joyner (USA) - Indianapolis, IN, 16/07/1988
(Updated as at:11/05/2008)
Mark Wind Athlete Nation DOB Pos Venue Date

10.93 1.5 Allyson Felix USA 18/11/1985 1 Doha 09/05/2008
10.96 0.9 Kerron Stewart JAM 16/04/1984 1 Kingston (NS), JAM 03/05/2008
11.01 0.9 Marshevet Hooker USA 25/09/1984 2 Kingston (NS), JAM 03/05/2008
11.02 0.9 Veronica Campbell-Brown JAM 15/05/1982 1r1 Orlando, FL 10/05/2008
11.05 0.3 Kim Gevaert BEL 05/08/1978 1r1 Nivelles 10/05/2008
11.06 1.9 Kelly-Ann Baptiste TRI 14/10/1986 1r2 Austin, TX 05/04/2008
11.09 1.5 Sherone Simpson JAM 12/08/1984 2 Doha 09/05/2008
11.10 1.9 Alexandria Anderson USA 28/01/1987 2r2 Austin, TX 05/04/2008
11.10 1.1 Torri Edwards USA 31/01/1977 1 Baie Mahault 01/05/2008
11.10 1.9 Muna Lee USA 30/10/1981 1 Fort-de-France 08/05/2008
11.11 1.9 Simone Facey JAM 07/05/1985 3r2 Austin, TX 05/04/2008
11.11 0.9 Bianca Knight USA 02/01/1989 3 Kingston (NS), JAM 03/05/2008
11.12 0.9 Muna Lee USA 1r2 Los Angeles, CA 12/04/2008
11.14 1.5 Sheri-Ann Brooks JAM 11/02/1983 3 Doha 09/05/2008
11.15 1.2 Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie BAH 16/01/1976 1r1 Coral Gables, FL 12/04/2008
11.16 1.2 Victoria Jordan USA 26/02/1990 1r2 Austin, TX 09/05/2008
11.18 1.5 Oludamola Osayomi NGR 26/06/1986 1r1 Greensboro, NC 19/04/2008
11.18 0.7 Lauryn Williams USA 11/09/1983 1r1 Modesto, CA 10/05/2008
11.19 1.1 Stephanie Durst USA 06/01/1982 2 Baie Mahault 01/05/2008
11.20 0.8 Porscha Lucas USA 18/06/1988 1r1 Tallahassee, FL 29/03/2008
11.21 1.2 Wyllesheia Myrick USA 21/11/1979 2r1 Coral Gables, FL 12/04/2008
11.21 0.9 Alexis Joyce USA 05/09/1983 2r1 Orlando, FL 10/05/2008
11.24 1.5 Susanthika Jayasinghe SRI 17/12/1975 4 Doha 09/05/2008
11.25 0.9 Angela Williams USA 30/01/1980 3r1 Orlando, FL 10/05/2008
11.26 1.1 Virgil Hodge SKN 17/11/1983 1r1 Fort Worth, TX 19/04/2008