If weightlifter Chinthana Vidanage can repeat his performance at the last Commonwealth Games in Melbourne (2006), Sri Lanka can be assured of a medal at New Delhi Games starting on October 3.
Merely sending a team to gain exposure is not a good reason to offer to sports fans who have been hearing this excuse from time immemorial.
Chinthana Vidanage |
The other reason to send such a large number of athletes is as petty as the organizers offering free food and lodging and the National Olympic Committee (NOC) of Sri Lanka has only to take the opportunity to send a large team.
Gold medallist Chinthana Vidanage at the Melbourne Games in 2006 in weightlifting is making another attempt to keep the title. He is one of Sri Lanka’s best prospects to winning another medal be it gold, silver or bronze medal.
Seven other weightlifters will be joining Vidanage this time. This is to enhance their chances of returning with another medal through someone who is still unknown. A surprise can happen as many of the athletes have started pulling out of the Games.There is no Susanthika Jayasinghe, Sugath Thillakaratne or Sriyani Kulawansa to give Sri Lanka a ghost of a chance in athletics. This discipline has been Sri Lanka’s main strength in the past and returning with a medal was quite certain.
This time there is only Chaminda Wijekoon who has a bright prospect of winning a medal. He will be running in his pet event, the 1500 metres race and is the record holder in Sri Lanka. He has been training overseas to improve in this event and if he has peaked at the right time, he should be finishing among the first three places.
High jumper Manjula Kumara and Prasanna Amarasekera who are also record holders in Sri Lanka are almost nearing the end of their careers. They have been representing the country for a long time now but should be able to offer stiff competition.
Harshana Godamanna |
Athletes from Africa and a second string team from Jamaica can overshadow the rest at these Games.
Sri Lanka can expect Harshana Godamanne to excel in tennis.
Godamanne is one of the best players that Sri Lanka has produced in recent times and has been relied on to bring victory to Sri Lanka at most Davis Cup ties. Be it in singles or doubles Godamanne’s contribution has been magnanimous as he performs at his best at all times.
They have been training very hard under the Argentine coach who is considered very good. He has departed with very useful tips that have been appreciated even by Godamanne.Sri Lanka is also hopeful of finishing somewhere at the top in Gymnastics. The small structured athletes from Sri Lanka have the advantage over the athletes from other countries. This should enable Sri Lanka to win a medal in one of the events.
Cycling and Shooting are also some of the events where Sri Lankan athletes could get somewhere. They have done well in previous Games too and can repeat this year as well.
Shooter Senanayake has immense experience in the pistol events and should he strike form he is bound to create an upset.
One wonders why Sri Lanka is sending a rugby team to the Sevens tournament. The burly participants from New Zealand, Fiji, Australia and England are certain to dominate as in the previous Games.
The same can be said about Badminton, Squash, Boxing and Table Tennis where the other countries are assured to dominate.
Besides, Sri Lanka’s training schedules have been very scantily organised. Host country India has sent their athletes to Ukrain for training for the past nine months with the hope of winning about six gold medals. Secretary of the NOC Maxwell de Silva said that the Sri Lanka contingent will leave on September 30 to prepare for the Games. He is assured that India will give their best protection to all athletes who go there.
“Security is not a concern for Sri Lankans who had gone through a terrorist period but participated in sporting events without any threats,” noted de Silva.
An official of the Athletic Association of Sri Lanka (AASL) said that Sri Lanka has no chance in Delhi, but we are hoping to do well at the Asian Games in China. |
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