From fighting hemoglobin defdeficiency to creating national records

Kelaniya University undergraduate Rasara Wijesuriya is set to become the first Sri Lankan female athlete to compete in the two longest track events at the Asian Athletics Championship outside Sri Lanka. The athlete trained by veteran coach Sajith Jayalal established a new national record in the 10,000 metres in February this year prompting track and field authorities to shortlist her for the May 27-31 event taking place in Gumi, South Korea. Incidentally, it will be her first competition outside the country after the postponement of the South Asian Athletics Championship for which she was first selected.

“It is an exciting prospect as I have not competed outside Sri Lanka,” Rasara told The Sunday Island.

Hailing from Ampara, Rasara first reached national level when she won the 800m and 1500m at the Eastern Province Schools Athletics championships following which she received a sports scholorship at Ratnayake Central Walala for her A/L studies. However, at Walala she was diagnosed with a hemoglobin deficiency and had to stop training on medical advice.

“I did not train from February to August that year. I think the hemoglobin deficiency was due to lack of nutrition. I started training under Sajith Sir in 2023,” replied the 22 year old.

It is remarkable to note an athlete who had to stop training for low hemoglobin counts improving in a short time to shatter national records in gruelling long distance events.

In February, Rasara broke US based athlete Hiruni Wijayaratne’s 10,000m national record (33:55.04 secs) with a feat of 33:39.60 seconds.

From the early 90s the Sri Lanka National record of the 10,000m had remained with Sujeewa Nilmini Jayasena until Hiruni erased it in the last decade. The record breaking feat in February has firmly established Rasara as the athlete to beat in every distance from 5000m to Cross Country races in Sri Lanka. At the Asian level she will have a tough ask with seasoned runners of the region and African born distance runners competing for Middle Eastern country joining the frey.

Some of Sri Lanka’s legendary athletes have been associated with the 5000m and the 10,000m success at Asian level. In his day S.L.B Rosa turned tables on Japanese favourites to win a gold double in these events at the Asian Games. But at the Asian Championships, the flagship event organised by the regional federation no male athlete has won a medal in any of these events. Sujeewa Nilmini Jayasena became the first athlete to win a medal for Sri Lanka in these events when she clocked 34 minutes and 47 seconds to finish second in the 10,000 m at the 2003 edition in Manila.

Not many Sri Lakan female athletes pursuing long distance events have succeeded outside Sri Lanka. In fact Sri Lanka had not fielded female athletes for the gruelling events at the Asian Championships untill the country hosted the biennial event in 2002.

As the host country, Sri Lanka had the luxury of fielding three athletes each for every discipline. While D.A. Inoka competed in both the 5000m and the 10,000m, Sujeewa Nilmini made her Championship debut in the 10,000m in Colombo. According to Sri Lanka Athletics statistics H.M.W.K. Herath (5,000m), Kanchanamala Udagedara (5,000m) and M.A. Chandrawathie (10,000m) were the others to have competed for the hosts.

That was the only occation when more than one female athlete competed for Sri Lanka in these disciplnes. That was also the only occation one female athlete (D.A. Inoka) competed in both events. With Sri Lanka Athletics opting for medal winning standards to send athletes for overseas events in recent times not many athletes got opportunities to compete at Asian level in the longest track events. Rasara will be aiming to make her overseas debut a memmorable one.

by Reemus Fernando