CWG: Weightlifter Chinthana Vidanage to lead Sri Lankan contigent

Weightlifter Chinthana Vidanage, one the brightest medal hopes of the XXI Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia, will lead the 80-strong athletic contingent to the games this time. 

Chinthana won a gold medal for the 62kgs weightlifting event at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne and is the only current gold medal holder in the Sri Lankan athletic team. 

Chinthana also has ‘Silver” in weightlifting at the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games. 

NOCSL's Maxwell de Silva is of the view that the Commonwealth Games excursion is multifaceted. 

He said, “It is mainly a learning curve where many of our athletes will be looking to improve their personal standards with the experience and exposure that they get by taking part in a programme of this magnitude. 

“I personally do not see many medals in our basket, but definitely there are some athletes who would answer the call and the Lankan weightlifters lead the hope list. Another athlete who is in de Silva’s radar is Anna-Marie Suzanne Quint Ondaatje who resides in Canada. Hailing from the famous Ondaatje family, Anna who is taking part in Gymnastics (Rhythmic) is a devoted student of the sport and is very concerned about doing well.” 

Besides, the NOCSL Secretary General pointed out that they also bank a lot on the skills of the athletic and swimming contingents and that is why they have sent two teams to train under local conditions in the Gold Cost well ahead of the games. 

Even in the selections, he said the committee felt that as Dilrukshi Avanthi Perera was the best female in the ranking list and also because swimming is a sport that is fast developing, she was afforded the opportunity to travel for the Gold Coast games while the ministry suggested that former national champion and coach Julian Bolling also should be a part of the tour squad.
 
Meanwhile, former airman Chandana B Liyanage who joined the squad as the General Team manager now will act at the Chef de Mission during the first half of the games, because the selected candidate Gamini Jayasinghe is not available. 

However Jayasinghe is scheduled to join the tour party during the latter half of the games. Liyanage performed the job of Chef de Mission during the Commonwealth Games held in New Delhi in 2010. 

The touring athletic Squad: 

Swimming: Cherantha de Silva (50m and 100m Freestyle, 50m, 20m and 100m Butterfly), Matthew Abeysinghe (50m, 100m and 200m Freestyle), Akalanka Peiris (50m, 100m and 200m Backstroke and 50m Butterfly), Kyle Abeysinghe (50m and 100m Freestyle) (Male) Vinoli Kaluarachchi (50m and 100m Backstroke, 50m and 100m Freestyle), Dilrukshi Avanthi Devmini Perera (50m Freestyle and 50m Butterfly)(Female) 

Diving: Lakshini de Silva (1m and 3m Springboard) (Female) and Thejana Peiris (1m, 3m and 10m Springboard) (Male) 
Team Manager: Chanaka Hasantha 
Coaches: Julian Bolling and Buddi Abeysinghe (Swimming) Chanaka Duminda (Diving) 

Athletics: Manjula Kumara (High Jump), Sampath Ranasinghe (Javelin), Suranjaya de Silva, Himasha Eshan, Shehan Ambepitiya, Lakshitha Wickremasinghe ( 4 X 100), Janaka Wimalasiri (Long Jump) (Male) W.K.L.A. Nimali and Gayanthika Thushari (800m)Dilhani Lekamge (Javelin), Hiruni Wijeratne (Marathon – Qualification requires), Rumeshika Kumari Rathnayaka (200m recommended by NSC) (female) 
Team Manager: Nimalsiri Hewa Witanage 
Coaches: Sunil Gunawardena (Coordinator relay team), Miranda Ramirez Luis (Middle Distance), Sajith Jayalal (Jumps), Kingsley Gunathilaka (Javelin) 

Badminton: Buwaneka Dullewa (Singles, Doubles, Mixed Doubles, Mixed Team Event) Dinuka Karunaratne (Singles, Doubles, Mixed Team Event), Niluka Karunaratne (Singles, Doubles, Mixed Team Event) Sachin Dias (Doubles, Mixed Doubles, Mixed Team Event) (Male) Thilini Hendahewa (Singles, Doubles, Mixed Doubles, Mixed Team Event) Kavidi Sirimannege (Mixed Doubles and Mixed Team Event), Hasini Ambalangodage (Singles, Doubles, and Mixed Team Event) Madushika Dilrukshi (Doubles, Mixed Doubles and Mixed Team Event) 
Team Manager: Duminda Gamage and Women’s Manager: Nishantha Aluthge 
Coaches: Dhanesh Malliyawadu, Tony Wahyudi 

Beach Volleyball: Asanka Pradeep Kumara and Malintha Yapa 
Coach: Mahesh Perera 

Boxing: Ranjeewa Seneviratne Bandara (52Kgs), Sandaruwan Ranasinghe (49Kgs), Dushan Saparamadu (64 Kgs)(Male) Anusha Dilrukshi (48Kgs), Dulani Jayasinghe (51Kgs), Hansika Kasturi Arachchi (57Kgs) 
Coach/Cutman: Dian Gomes, Coach: Harsha Kumara and Aravinda Thissera (Extra Official) 

Cycling: Avishka Dilnuwan and Sandun Kumara (Road Event) 
Team Manager: Clement Ranasinghe 
Coach: Upali Ratnayake 

Gymnastics: Samanali Gunathilaka, Amaya Kalukottege, Kaushini Gunasinghe Gamage (Artistic) 
Coach: Tharanga Welandage 

Gymnastics: Anna-Marie Ondaatje (Rhythmic) 
Coach: SvetLana Joukova 
Medical Personnel: Monique Elia Petricone 

Rugby Sevens: Sriyanga Mihiran Muthuthantri, Dansa Dayan Chandradas, C. Rehan Rumesh Silva, U. Priyanja Omalka Purna Gunaratne, V.G. Charles Jesan Dissanayaka, R. Anuradha Srinath Sooriyabandara, Ashan Tarinda Ratwatte, T.A.D. Kavindu Perera, W.M. Anurudha Bandara Wilwara, Richard Dharmapala, W.M. Dhanushka Ranjan, H.K. Naveen Levanjith, (Stand by): Hirantha Perera, Rafaideen Thuwan Reeza, Sudam Pharinda Sureyaarachchi, N.K. Buddima Rushna Priyaratne. 
Director High Performance: Inthisham Marikar 
Coach: Peter Wood 
Trainer: Nicolas Groube 

Shooting: Suranga Fernando (10m Air Rifle Pistol and 50 Pistol) Upul Kumara Wijeratne (50m Pistol) (Male) Sanduni Perera (10m Air Rifle) (Female) 
Manager: Chinthaka Edirisinghe 

Squash: Ravindu Laksiri (Male) and Mihiliya Methsarani (Female) 

Table Tennis: Udaya Ranasinghe, Rohan Sirisena, Nirmala Bandara Jayasingha (Team Event) (Male) Madurangi Dharshika, Hansani Kapugeekiyana, Erandi Warusawithana (Female) 
Team Manager: Chathura Jayendra 
Coach: Madushanka Wickremasinghe 

Weightlifting: Chathuranga Lakmal (56Kgs), Thilanka Palangasinghe (62Kgs), Chathuranga Dissanayake (69Kgs), Chinthana Vidanage (77Kgs), Shanaka Peters (94Kgs), Saman Abeywickrama (105Kgs) Ushan Charuka (+105Kgs) (Male) Hansani Gomes(48Kgs), Chamari Warnakulasuriya (53Kgs), Nadeeshani Rajapaksha (58Kgs), Priyanthi Balage (75Kgs) 
Team Manager: Thamel Warnakulasuriya 
Head Coach: R.M.R.B. Wickremasinghe 
Assistant Coach: Navindhra Dayan 
Masseur: Upul Bandara Jayathilaka 

Wrestling: Divoshan Fernando (57Kgs), Chanaka Fernando (74Kgs)(Male) Dilhani Weerabahu (53Kgs) 
Team Manager: Prageeth Priyankara 
Coach: Jagath Priyantha