By Reemus Fernando  

Despite one of history’s remarkable track and field performances happening in its centenary year and its top-notch athletes accounting for a number of national records, finding expenses for air fares will be the biggest challenge Sri Lanka Athletics will face in 2023 as the sport’s governing body is unlikely to receive Sports Ministry backing for air tickets.

Sri Lanka Athletics will have a busy international schedule next year. The 2023 Athletics Calendar includes as many as 13 international events including five major Asian events, World Championships and the Commonwealth Youth Games.

Major General (Retd.) Palitha Fernando, the President of Sri Lanka Athletics said that the track and field governing body was seeking the support of sponsors to meet travel expenses of their athletes for multiple international competitions in 2023 where Yupun Abeykoon is the brightest medal prospect. He said this at a media briefing held on Wednesday.

Sri Lanka has Asia’s fastest man this year in Commonwealth Games medallist Yupun Abeykoon who became the first South Asian to clock sub 10 seconds in the sport’s showpiece discipline, the men’s 100 metres. With him leading the list of fastest men in 100 metres in Asia in 2022, the athletics enthusiasts will look forward to medals from the Italy based sprinter at a number of Asian events including the Asian Games and the Asian Championships.

While Abeykoon is the brightest medal prospect, a number of top-notch athletes including long jumper Sarangi Silva, 800 metres specialist Gayanthika Abeyratne and 3,000 metres steeplechaser Nilani Ratnayake who have excelled creating national records this year have medal prospects . Country’s youth team also accounted for five medals at the recently held Asian Youth Athletics Championships. Athletes in the Junior and Youth categories are also expected to excel in several junior and youth international events taking place in 2023.

The fifth Asian Youth Athletics Championships, Asian Junior Athletics Championships and Commonwealth Youth Games are some of the junior events where the country has medal prospects. Sri Lanka Athletics and many sports federations have depended heavily on Sports Ministry funds for their overseas tours in the past but they are unlikely to receive the same backing as the cash strapped government institution has failed even to conduct their own sports events this year due to financial constraints.

Recently, the country’s junior athletics team had to face numerous difficulties in making their trip to Cali, Colombia for the World Junior Athletics Championships after authorities failed to provide necessary support in time. With the country’s brightest athletics prospect Yupun Abeykoon still to receive Sports Ministry backing he deserves; it is incumbent upon the private sector to step in and support Sri Lanka Athletics.