Over 700 competitors for Army Para Games | Daily News

Over 700 competitors for Army Para Games

Chief Marketing Officer of Dialog Axiata Group Amali Nanayakkara (2nd from left) handing over the sponsorship cheque to the Chairman of Army Para Sports Committee Chief of Staff Major General Dampath Fernando (3rd from left). From left Secretary of Army Para Sports Committee Colonel MAR Gunasekara, Vice Chairman of Army Para Sports Committee Major General HR Wickramasingha and Director, Military Spokesman Brigadier MSB Sumith Atapattu  also in the picture. Picture by Saman Sri Wedage
Chief Marketing Officer of Dialog Axiata Group Amali Nanayakkara (2nd from left) handing over the sponsorship cheque to the Chairman of Army Para Sports Committee Chief of Staff Major General Dampath Fernando (3rd from left). From left Secretary of Army P

The Sri Lanka Army Para Games – 2018 will be held for the 21st consecutive year at the Diyagama Sports Complex, Homagama from September 19 to 21 with the participation of sportsmen and women, drawn from all regiments of the Army.

The event will be organized by Army Para Sports Committee and over 700 disabled athletes will be taking part in 72 individual and 12 team events. The opening ceremony will be held at 9.00 a.m with Army Commander Lt. General Mahesh Senanayake as the chief guest. Chief of Defence Staff Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne is expected to attend as chief guest the closing ceremony on September 21.

Major General Dampath Fernando, Chairman, Sri Lanka Army Para Sports Committee during the briefing announced that this year’s ‘Sri Lanka Army Para Games’, would make a difference as more and more have volunteered to participate in the tournament, which he interpreted as a recognition of Army arrangements in this connection. Army Para Games are meant to raise the morale of soldiers who fought the war against the LTTE. “With the introduction of the Games our disabled soldiers are involved in many sporting activities. Their hidden talents have brought good results and they reached qualifying standards to compete at international level. Competing in these international meets they brought glory to the country winning many medals”, he said.

This mega event will undoubtedly instill a new glimmer of hope among more than 800 differently abled War Heroes who have displayed their sports skills in the past two months with the intention of receiving accolades in the final tournament, Major General Dampath Fernando further said.

Wheelchair Basketball, Badminton, Cycling, Wheelchair Marathon, Archery, Weightlifting, Volleyball, Volleyball (sitting), Beach Volleyball, Table Tennis, Cricket, Swimming, Wheelchair Tennis, Air Rifle Shooting and Athletics are among major sports, billed to be competed by those sportsmen during the tournament.

Previously known as the ‘Army Disabled Sports Meet’, saw its birth in the year 1991, but it was renamed in 2010, to be called the ‘Sri Lanka Army Para Games.’

Dialog Axiata PLC has provided the sponsorship for the fourth consecutive year for the Army Para Games as an encouragement for Para sports. 


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