Sarangi skips World Championships to train for Commonwealth Games

By Reemus Fernando  

National women’s long jump record holder Sarangi Silva has declined an opportunity to take part in the World Championships in Oregon USA to concentrate on training ahead of the Commonwealth Games which starts later this month.

Sarangi, who renewed her national record with a feat of 6.52 metres in April was in the 34th position in the World Athletics ‘Road to Oregon rankings’ when the qualifying period expired on June 26. With only the top 32 athletes qualifying for the biennial event Sarangi decided to concentrate on the Commonwealth Games which commences on July 28.

However, an opportunity has arisen due to the withdrawal of several athletes who were among the top 32 and the World Athletics informed Sri Lanka Athletics of the possibility of entering Sarangi Silva for the long jump yesterday.

“We informed Sarangi of the opportunity. But she had to decline it as she had already made arrangements to train in Turkey ahead of the Commonwealth Games,” a senior official of Sri Lanka Athletics told The Island.

“I will train in Turkey to prepare for the Commonwealth Games. I know that it is a big opportunity that I am missing. But hope that the decision will help me prepare for the Commonwealth Games,” said Sarangi.

“If she had decided to go for the World Championships it would have been the first time that a Sri Lankan athlete had taken part in a horizontal jumping event at the World Championships,” Sri Lanka Athletics statistician Saman Kumara said. The athlete trained by national coach Y.K. Kularatne will now be leaving for Turkey where she will train ahead of the Commonwealth Games.  The Birmingham Commonwealth Games will commence on July 28 and will end on August 8.