Dharshana, Gayanthika compete in Japan on their own funds

by Reemus Fernando  

Sprinter Aruna Dharshana overtook Kalinga Kumarage as the fourth fastest 400 metres sprinter in Sri Lanka’s track and field history as he clocked his personal best at the Shizuoka International Athletics Meet, a World Athletics Bronze label event in Prefectural Shizuoka Stadium, Fukuroi, Japan on Wednesday.

Dharshana clocked 45.59 seconds to erase the more than four years old personal best (45.78) which had placed him as the fifth fastest 400 metres sprinter in Sri Lanka’s history.

While Dharshana achieved his personal best being placed second in his event, Gayanthika Abeyratne won the women’s 800 metres with a time of 2:04.35 seconds.

By featuring in the World Athletics bronze label event in Japan, Dharshana and Abeyratne have opened a new chapter in the country’s track and field history as the duo have competed on their own and have used their own funds for the expensive tour.

Top level athletes had been relying on Sri Lanka Athletics, Sports Ministry or the National Olympic Committee intervention to take part in top level competitions so far.

“There was a need for us to get international exposure as there is a very important season ahead. We were helped by Madawa Bandara to communicate with the organizers in Japan to take part in this event. Sri Lanka Athletics and the Sports Ministry granted permission for us to compete. We did not ask Sri Lanka Athletics and the Sports Ministry for funds,” Dharshana’s coach Asanka Rajakaruna told The Island yesterday.

“These meets will help athletes gain valuable ranking points to improve on their World Rankings. I am glad that the last minute arrangements have produced results,” said Madawa Bandara who had been instrumental in arranging such opportunities for top local athletes on a couple of other occasions as well.

Dharshana’s impressive performance now places him in exalted company of Asian Games medallists Sugath Thilakaratne and Rohan Pradeep Kumara and Asian Championship medallist Prasanna Amarasekara as the fourth fastest 400 metres sprinter.

Thilakaratne, who was one of the first to congratulate Dharshana on his achievement on social media yesterday, is on the top of the list as Sri Lanka’s fastest 400 metres runner and national record holder. While he is the only Sri Lankan to have run the distance under 45 seconds (44.61 secs), Rohan Pradeep (45.25 secs), Amarasekara (45.47 secs), Dharshana (45.59) and Kalinga are the only Sri Lankan athletes to run the event under 46 seconds.

Dharshana, who is among the top contenders to book a place in the Sri Lanka contingent for the upcoming Asian Games, is scheduled to compete at another event in Osaka this week.