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Relay team dropped from Asian Athletics Championship

Published

10 months ago

2025/05/19

Priyan

The men's 4x100 metres team have been dropped from the Asian Athletics Championship

Selection committee of Sri Lanka Athletics have decided to drop the men’s 4×100 metres quartet from Sri Lanka’s team for the Asian Athletics Championship starting in Gumi, South Korea next week.

The not so impressive performance of the country’s relay team inclusive of Yupun Abeykoon at the recently held Dubai Grand Prix has prompted the selectors to take the difficult decision, a source close to Sri Lanka Athletics told ‘The Island’.

“It was clear that Sri Lanka’s team were not up to standard. With a performance like that, selectors are not sure whether the team could even reach the final at the Asian Championship,” an official close to the selectors said refering to the team’s performance in Dubai.

The Sri Lanka team inclusive of Chamod Yodasinghe, Yupun Abeykoon, Merone Wijesinghe and Deneth Weeraratne returned a time of 39.41 seconds at the Dubai Grand Prix. Official results ranked Sri Lanka in the third position though the country finished fourth behind India’s A and B teams and Oman.

Sri Lanka Athletics has maintained tough selection standardeds in picking teams for overseas events. The track and field governing body often set average bronze medal performance from the last three editions as the selection standard. Selection of Italy based sprinter Yupun Abeykoon and national 100 metres champion Chamod Yodasinghe in the team for their pet event at the Asian Championship influenced the authorities to pick a 4×100 metres team initially.

Both Abeykoon and Yodasinghe have been retained in the team to compete in the 100 metres.

A team of twenty athletes were originally selected for the Asian Championship. The team included four relay teams. With the men’s 4×100 metres team dropped, the men’s and women’s 4x400m, and mixed relay teams will now compete for honours.

Sri Lanka excelled at the last edition of the championships winning eight medals including three in relay events. While the men’s 4×400 metres team won the gold with a new championship record, the women’s 4×400 team anchored by Tharushi Karunaratne won silver with a new national record performance. Tharushi was also part of the silver winning 4×400 metres mixed relay team.

Sri Lanka have a tough ask matching the outstanding performances they showcased at the Bangkok event in 2023.

While Tharushi Karunaratne who also won the gold in the 800 metres is not a part of the current team, Aruna Dharshana who was involved in both the men’s 4×400 metres and the mixed relay at the last edition is recovering from an injury. He is scheduled to face a fitness test before the team leave for South Korea.

by Reemus Fernando

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Heat Index likely to increase up to ‘Caution level’ at some places in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Eastern, North-western, Northern and North-central provinces and in Monaragala district

Published

3 hours ago

2026/03/29

Priyan

Warm Weather Advisory
Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre of the Department of Meteorology
Issued at 3.30 p.m. on 28 March 2026, valid for 29March 2026.

Heat index, the temperature felt on the human body is likely to increase up to ‘Caution level’ at some places in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Eastern, North-western, Northern and North-central provinces and in Monaragala district.

The Heat Index Forecast is calculated by using relative humidity and maximum temperature and this is the condition that is felt on your body. This is not the forecast of maximum temperature. It is generated by the Department of Meteorology for the next day period and prepared by using global numerical weather prediction model data.

Effect of the heat index on human body is mentioned in the above table and it is prepared on the advice of the Ministry of Health and Indigenous Medical Services.

ACTION REQUIRED
Job sites: Stay hydrated and takes breaks in the shade as often as possible.
Indoors: Check up on the elderly and the sick.
Vehicles: Never leave children unattended.
Outdoors: Limit strenuous outdoor activities, find shade and stay hydrated.
Dress: Wear lightweight and white or light-colored clothing.

Note:
In addition, please refer to advisories issued by the Disaster Preparedness & Response Division, Ministry of Health in this regard as well. For further clarifications please contact 011-7446491.

Latest News

Tharanga shatters national javelin record again ‎

Published

3 hours ago

2026/03/29

Priyan

(File pic)

Rumesh Tharanga created history with yet another world leading throw that shattered his own national javelin record at the Champions Track and Field event at Diyagama on Saturday.

‎The massive 89.37 metres throw, when recognized by World Athletics is set to become the fourth furthest throw in the history of the Asian region.

‎Despite little competion from his rivals, Tharanga rose like a champion of an entirely different league when he delivered the record breaking feat in his final attempt.

‎Tharanga had a world leading mark of 83.07 metres for the year coming into this meet. His national record of 86.50 metres was from August 2025. (RF)

Latest News

Three dead after helicopter crash in Hawaii

Published

23 hours ago

2026/03/28

Priyan

The helicopter crashed near Kalalau beach, officials say [BBC]

Three people have died after a helicopter crashed off the Hawaiian island of Kauai, police said.

The helicopter was carrying one pilot and four passengers, police said in a statement. Two survivors were taken to a hospital for treatment.

Police said the helicopter was operated by Airborne Aviation, a company whose website advertises “a doors-off thrill seekers adventure tour” of the picturesque island’s waterfalls, canyons, and beaches.

The US Coast Guard said the helicopter crash-landed about 100 yards off Kalalau beach. Authorities have not yet identified the victims.

Police said they responded to an alert of the crash at around 15:45 local time (01:45 GMT), along with the Coast Guard and fire department.

Kauai’s Mayor Derek Kawakami praised the recovery effort, telling local media: “Here on Kaua’i, whenever somebody puts their feet on our soil, they are one of ours.

“We treat them like one of ours, they are a part of our family, and our first responders respond with that spirit in mind.”

Andrew Williams, search and rescue mission co-ordinator for the Coast Guard in Honolulu, said: “We are greatly saddened by the loss of three lives in this helicopter crash and thinking of those individuals’ families and friends.”

Helicopter tours are a popular way for visitors to tour the island, which is where the blockbuster film Jurassic Park was shot.

Airborne Aviation’s 50-minute tour of the island offered a maximum of four passengers and costs $348 (£262) per passenger, according to its website.

BBC News has contacted Airborne Aviation for comment.

The incident is the latest fatal crash in Kauai involving a tour helicopter. Three people were killed when a helicopter operated by a different tour company crashed in July 2024.

The 2024 crash was caused by “an encounter with turbulence due to downdraft winds that resulted in mast bumping and an inflight breakup”, a report by the National Transportation Safety Board said.

[BBC]