Lack of support for nutritional needs will hold back marathoners – Sajith Jalayal

By Reemus Fernando 

Sajith Jayalal, the coach of leading long-distancerunners and marathoners said that lack of support to obtain nutritional needs will continue to hold the progress of marathoners in Sri Lanka. He said this in an interview with The Island after the hosts failed to challenge the Indian supremacy at the Sri Lanka Athletics’ centenary half marathon held on Saturday.

Sri Lanka Athletics conducted a half marathon on Saturday to commence its centenary year celebrations. The grueling road event which started and concluded at Diyatha Uyana saw a number of runners from the South Asian region taking part. While India dominated the race winning both the men’s and women’s titles, the local athletes had to settle for lesser laurels.

“It is nothing but the nutritional factor that keeps our marathoners from winning at regional level. For energy sapping events like the marathon and half marathon you need to train hard to be competitive and those training regiments should be compensated with proper nutrition,” said Jayalal who is also the director of the National Institute of Sports Science.

“We must maintain a pool of athletes for marathon. They should be provided with proper nutrition if they are to succeed at international level,” said Jayalal whose charges were the top performers among local athletes at the road race held on Saturday.

While his charge Shanmugeshwaran was placed third behind two Indian athletes in the men’s half marathon, Piyumali Perera finished second behind India’s Sanjivani Yadhew in the women’s event.

Incidentally, it was under Jayalal’s guidance that Sri Lanka fielded its first female marathoner at Olympics in 2016. But after Geethani Rajasekara’s retirement, the US based Hiruni Wijeratne has been the country’s front runner in the women’s marathon. Local marathoners are yet to reach the standard maintained by the likes of Rajasekara.

Though Sri Lanka has won a couple of marathon events at the South Asian Games including Wijeratne’s gold winning feat at the last edition, India continue to reign supreme in the region. Sri Lanka has not won a men’s marathon at the South Asian Games since 2006.

The country is also lagging behind in the region with regard to nurturing a marathon running culture. While India conducts a number of International top label marathons on its soil, Sri Lanka’s only recognized international marathon, the Colombo Marathon was not held last year.

The National Sports Festival marathon and the Youth Sports Festival marathon are the only marathons available for local runners.