Throwers eager to create history at Tokyo Paralympics  

Pradeep Nishantha the coach of Sri Lanka’s Paralympic medallist Dinesh Priyantha Herath believes that his charges now in Tokyo have the ability to create Paralympics history when they compete on Monday.

“All my three throwers will be in action on Monday. I am hopeful that they would create history here,” said Nishantha in an online interview with The Sunday Island.

“All three throwers are in good shape and they are eager to perform,” said Nishantha who first trained Herath to win bronze at the Rio Paralympics five years ago.

Sri Lanka has won just two medals at Paralympics. Pradeep Sanjaya won the country’s first medal, a bronze in T46 400 metres at the 2012 London Paralympics.

Herath, who is the captain of the Sri Lanka team at the Tokyo Paralympics won the second medal, once again a bronze medal in F46 javelin throw at the last Paralympics with a throw of 58.23 metres.

Sri Lanka Army athlete who celebrated his 35th birth day last month has improved since then to be in a better shape for this edition. With Nishantha’s trainees and the other track and field para athletes in good shape for this edition the Tokyo Paralympics is offering a chance for them to create history.

The winner of the Asian Para Games F46 javelin event, Herath said in 2018 that his ambition was to win gold at the Tokyo Paralympics. The Gajaba Sports Club member proved how close he was to the target in 2019 when he won silver at the World Championships despite an injury. There he cleared 60.59 metres.

Sri Lanka has four throwers competing in Tokyo. Of them three are javelin throwers, all trained by Nishantha.

While Herath will compete in the morning on Monday with the aim of improving the colour of the medal won at the last edition, Sampath Hettiarachchi and Samitha Dulan will take the field in the afternoon on the same day.

Hettiarachchi from Sri Lanka Army’s Vijayabahu Sports Club has a silver medal from the 2018 Asian Para Games. He will be competing in F64 javelin throw.

Dulan who is from Military Police Sports Club was placed fourth at the World Para Athletics Championships in Dubai in 2019. He will be eager to improve on that ranking in the F44 javelin throw. (RF)