Weightlifter Srimali given a raw deal | Daily News

Weightlifter Srimali given a raw deal

Srimali Samarakoon with her coach Nadeeka Bandara Pic by Upananda Jayasundera, Kandy Sports Special Corr
Srimali Samarakoon with her coach Nadeeka Bandara Pic by Upananda Jayasundera, Kandy Sports Special Corr

Twenty-two-year old Srimali Samarakoon is a talented weightlifter who is the current holder of the Sri Lanka record in the 48kg weight class category.

She established a new record in the clean and jerk event lifting 82kg at the trials to select the Super Pool of weightlifters in Sri Lanka. But due to some reason she was deprived of being selected for the National Pool and she is not getting the benefits the other weightlifters are enjoying.

It is a great disappointment to Srimali who has brought fame to her country and still she is involved in improving her game. Srimali is an old girl of Habarana Central College and entered Mahamaya Girls’ School, Kandy in 2016 to follow her higher studies. She got through her Advanced Level examination with three ‘A’ passes which gave her the opportunity to enter the University of Sri Jayewardenepura to pursue a Degree in Sports Science and Management.

She is a second year undergraduate at the University and is still training under the coaching of Nadeeka Bandara, a veteran weightlifting coach. In 2011 she won the junior nationals and the senior nationals and won a Silver Medal at the Samoa Youth Commonwealth Games in 2015. She won a Silver Medal at the SAF Games in Bokara, Nepal in 2019 when she lifted 59kg in the snatch event and 81kg in the clean and jerk event. Srimali’s next target will be to win at the Commonwealth Games to be held in 2022.