South Asian fastest athlete Yupun Abeykoon is expected to take part in the 100m heats today (15) at the World Athletic Championship 2022 which commences today in Eugene , USA.
Yupun Abeykoon will be the first Sri Lankan athlete to compete at this major event His 100m heat is scheduled for 6.50 p.m. on the 15th (7.05 a.m. on 16th local time); Nilani’s heat is scheduled on 17th morning 5.40.a.m (local time), while Gayanthika will compete her 800m heat as scheduled on 22nd morning.(5.40a.m )
Yupun Abeykoon the 27 year athlete based in Italy is now ranked 22nd in the world and was selected on World Ranking position, but later achieved direct qualification for the event (10.05 seconds) when he clocked the fastest time by an Asian this year (9.96 seconds) in Switzerland on July 3. Yupun Abeykoon and his coach Claudio Licciardello and physiotherapist Dr. Matteo Galderisi took wing from Rome on Tuesday afternoon following a visa delay and undergo training to focus on heats tomorrow (16) and his heats will commence tomorrow (16) at7.20 a.m (Sri Lanka time .
Meanwhile Sri Lanka athletic team arrived in the USA last Wednesday with a day to go for the start of the World Athletics Championship According to the senior official of the Sri Lanka Athletics (SLA) the 3000m steeplechase runner Nilani Ratnayake, 800m runner Gayanthika Abeyratne and their coach Sajith Jayalalal took wing from Colombo on Monday night. Sajith Jayalal the experience coach who also the Director of National Sports Science Institute was very busy with the two athletes Nilani Ratnayake and Gayanthika Abeyratne and both these athletes were undergo high attitude training at Bolalanda in Nuwara Eliya team focus on this world athletic championship. Both Nilani and Gayanthika are the National record holders of their respective events 3000m steeplechase and 800m while both of them had the chance to take part in two European circuit meets in Switzerland before the World Athletic Championship.
This world athletic championship could be a good exposure for all three athletes before the Commonwealth Games which is scheduled to be held from July 28 to August in Birmingham, England said Coach Sajith Jayalal.
Nilani Ratnayake with personal best of 9 minutes 40.24 seconds, placed 37th on the Road to World Championship list, where 45 were selected, while Gayanthika Abeyratne with personal best of 2 minutes 1.44 seconds was , placed 46th where were 48 selected.
Meanwhile Sri Lankan champion long jumper Sarangi Silva who qualified for the long jump event got a chance at the last moment to compete in this event. She was 34th ranking while only 32 best athletes (consider highest points) were eligible to qualify for the long jump event.
However two of the athletes withdrew at the last minute from the list and Sarangi Silva was informed on July 7. But that was not enough time to get a visa for the USA and now Sarangi is at home focusing on Commonwealth Games said her coach Y.K Kularatne who is the National athletic coach.
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