Athletes urge rescheduling time trial after Covid 19 force cancellation

by Reemus Fernando

Sri Lanka Athletics on Monday will consider rescheduling the performance test which was canceled following the closure of the Sugathadasa Stadium due to Covid 19 concerns yesterday.

Officials decided to cancel the performance test which was scheduled to be held over the weekend after police curfew was imposed in several areas in Colombo North including Colombo 13 where the Sugathadasa Stadium is situated.

“The test was crucial for athletes who had trained. They requested to reschedule the event. We will decide on rescheduling the trial on Monday,” national coach Y.K. Kularatne told The Island after meeting with athletes.

“The meeting was with the athletes who are staying in the hostels at Torrington. The hostels will remain open for them and they will continue to train at Torrington,” said Kularatne.

He said that the decision to cancel the two day event was due to the police curfew and the closure of the Sugathadasa Stadium.

Top national athletes were due to engage in the two-day event which was arranged to assess their strengths after a long layoff. Athletes in the super pool and hundreds of leading junior athletes had trained under trying circumstances this year with the hope of competing after the health situation of the country improved.

Sri Lanka Athletics had previously scheduled their National Trial, the first competition for the year on October 23, 24 and 25 but they were compelled to make it a low key performance trial open only to athletes in the super pool and national pools due to the second wave of Covid 19.

Officials were ready to follow a long process to obtain permission for the event as the abandonment of a trial would deny competition exposure until the Senior National Athletics Championship in December.