Sports
Thivanka’s record breaking spree continues
Bags South Asian record with third best performance of the world
by Reemus Fernando
Former Maris Stella College, Negombo high jumper Ushan Thivanka produced yet another record breaking feat in his bid to edge closer to Tokyo Olympic qualifying standards and immediately dedicated the victory in Texas to his polio victim mother on Sunday.
The Texas A & M Commerce University scholarship holder cleared 2.30 metres, the top third height cleared in the world this year to win the high jump event held at a championship in Texas. In clearing the height he also broke the South Asian regional record held by India’s Tejaswin Shankar who cleared 2.29 metres in 2018.
Thivanka is in a record breaking spree this year having started with Sri Lanka National Indoor record and then breaking the 16-year old outdoor National Record held by Manjula Kumara. On Saturday (USA time), Thivanka was the sole competitor in his winning height and he made it in his third attempt to further improve his Sri Lanka record.
“I am extremely happy to have achieved this feat. I dedicate this victory to my mother. It is my Mother’s Day gift. She has done a lot for me. I have arranged a friend of mine to send a surprise to her though it is not the Mother’s Day here yet,” Thivanka said in a telephone interview with The Island before embarking on a long journey back to his University.
“Our target was to achieve the direct Olympic qualifying standard. I concluded the event after clearing the 2.30 metres mark in consultation with the coach because there was a strong wind which made it difficult to hold my swinging- leg,” said Thivanka.
The World Athletics set a tough qualifying standard for the Tokyo Olympics raising the bar to 2.33 metres, a height which was once considered beyond the reach of South Asians. While 13 athletes will be selected from direct qualifying method, 19 others will be chosen according to ‘Road to Olympic’ ranking positions.
Though only two other high jumpers have cleared better heights in the world this year, Thivanka’s position in the ‘Road to Olympic’ rankings is below the positions of possible athletes’ quota places yet. Analysts were optimistic that he would improve the rankings within the next two months.
“We are not in a hurry as my coach Rock Light is very much optimistic that I could reach the qualifying standard before the cut-off date,” said Thivanka.
Thivanka said that he was fortunate to be trained by Rock Light and also thanked all those who helped him reach where he is today including his former coach Suranjith Fernando.
Olympian and Asia Games medallist Nagalingam Ethirweerasingham who has followed Thivanka’s progress in the USA closely was the first to predict that the champion athlete would break Manjula Kumara’s record before June this year and strive for an Olympic berth.
Bangladesh’s veteran all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan has finally been cleared of suspect action after suffering months of negativity regarding the same. The 37-year-old had failed the test twice but the latest results suggest that Shakib has finally managed to clear the air around his bowling action.
The development comes as a huge sigh of relief for Shakib who had been excluded for Bangladesh’s Champions Trophy squad as the selectors didn’t want to pick him as a specialist batter. Having been suspended to bowl meant that the all-rounder couldn’t take part of the ICC event which had been earmarked as a farewell tournament for him in international cricket.
The phrase third-time lucky proved right for Shakib who cleared his latest bowling action test in England. When contacted by Cricbuzz, he confirmed the news with an understandable air of happiness.
“The news is right (passing about the bowling test) and I am cleared to bowl again,” Shakib said.
Shakib’s bowling action first came under scrutiny during a County Championship match for Surrey against Somerset in September 2024. Subsequently, the England and
Wales Cricket Board [ECB] suspended him following an independent evaluation that declared his action illegal.
Shakib then underwent two separate reassessments, first in England and then in India, failing both attempts, following which he was suspended from bowling.
Sri Lanka at World Indoor Athletics Championships
In the absence of Aruna Dharshana, Kalinga Kumarage is shouldering an extra burden in living up to the reputation of Asian Champions in the 4×400 metres relay when the World Indoor Championship commences in Nanjing China on Friday.
The men’s 400 metres is Sri Lanka’s biggest strength in track and field events though two javelin throwers currently dominate world athletics top lists for the 2025 season. With the track and field season still in its start, the country’s top sprinters were yet to flex their muscles when the opportunity arose for the 400 metres sprinters to compete at the World Indoor Championships.
Kalinga Kumarage
Kumarage is the only experienced campaigner in the men’s 4×400 metres relay team scheduled to compete against world leading USA, Jamaica, Hungary, Nigeria and China in the men’s 4×400 metres final. Both Aruna Dharshana and Kalinga Kumarage had been involved in some of the fastest relay performances for Sri Lanka at international arena including the Asian Games, Asian Championship and Asian Relays. But Dharshana is not available for the event as he is currently competing in Australia. Kumarage is the only member from the gold winning team at last year’s Asian Relays competing in Nanjing. However, it will be a huge opportunity for Randima Madushan and the two juniors Sadew Rajakaruna and Omel Shashintha when they brush shoulders against top sprinters in a global final.
Apart from the relay, Kalinga will also compete in the men’s 400 metres where he will look to produce a top performance in a bid to improve his rankings.
Sri Lanka is fielding its biggest contingent to a world indoor championship this year. The team is inclusive of sprinter Chamod Yodasinghe who will compete in the 60 metres, hurdler Kaveesha Bandara (60 m hurdles) and the men’s and women’s 4×400 metres relay teams.
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Rajakaruna clarifies on behalf of Dharshana
Asanka Rajakaruna, the coach of leading 400 metres specialist Aruna Djarshana said that his charge was unaware of the 4×400 metres relay invitation extended by World Athletics to Sri Lanka for this week’s World Indoor Championships.
He said this with reference to our article on Tuesday which quoted a Sri Lanka Athletics official as having said that Dharshana had decided to stay in Australia to complete his commitments and was not available for the World Indoor Championships.
“We were not informed about the World Indoor Championships. We have always given priority to national duty. Dharshana would have taken the opportunity with open arms had he been informed of the opportunity to compete at the World Indoor Championship,” Asanka Rajakaruna told The Island.
Sri Lanka received the invitation to include relay teams for the World Indoor Championships well after Aruna Dharshana left for Australia.
by Reemus Fernando
Sri Lanka Athletics has invited India, the Philippines and the Maldives for next month’s Relay Championships conducted by Sri Lanka Schools Athletics Association in a bid to provide the men’s 4×400 metres relay quartet with a chance to reach qualifying standards for the World Relays.
Currently Sri Lanka men’s 4×400 metres relay team is within the required ranking position to compete at the prestigious World Relays taking place in Guangzhou, China. The 3:04.48 seconds finish to win the gold medal of the men’s 4×400 metres at the Asian Relays in May last year has placed Sri Lanka in the 31st position in the ‘Road to Guangzhou’ rankings.
But with many competitions coming up within the next couple of months Sri Lanka Athletics wants to leave no stone unturned in their quest to keep the ranking position within the qualifying range.
The teams in the first 32 positions according to the times produced within the qualifying period (January 1, 2024 to April 13, 2025) become eligible for the World Relays taking place on May 10 and 11 in Guangzhou.
Sri Lanka’s chances of improving the current standings (31st) at this week’s World Indoor Championship in China are minimal as Olympian Aruna Dharshana, who is the fastest of the current crop of athletes will not be available for the event.
Dharshana is currently training and competing in Australia. He is looking forward to reach qualifying standards or reach the required ranking position for World Championships in the 400 metres.
The World Athletics has set a tough standard of 44.85 seconds for the men’s 400 metres. While only 17 are selected through direct qualifying standards, 31 athletes are selected through rankings for the 400 metres. Dharshana is yet yo enter rankings to be eligible for the World Championships.
Sri Lanka Athletics will field Dharshana, Kalinga Kumarage, S.B.R. Madushan and Sadew Rajakaruna for the relay event in April.
by Reemus Fernando
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