Prashanth Sellathurai, the pride of Sri Lanka for Australia – By TREVINE RODRIGO IN MELBOURNE
The insatiable hunger for success cannot be suppressed in some minds, and one of those with this rare quality is Prashanth Sellathurai, despite his outstanding academic success.It’s a particularly special award for Sellathurai, who says the induction “means a lot”.
“I used to walk through all the champions every day to get to training at the [Quaycentre] at Sydney Olympic Park back in 1990,” he said. “I never imagined that I would ever have my picture or my name inducted into the hall there.”
The 36-year-old said he started gymnastics because his mum wanted a way for him to burn up the hyperactive energy. “As a little boy I used to be climbing on the walls and once my grandmother discovered me on the roof – I had climbed up the drainpipe,” he said.
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Aged 6, Sellathurai took to the gym at Sydney Olympic Park followinga passionhe was completely sold on. Throughout his career, the gymnast won five medals from the 2006 and 2010 Commonwealth Games, plus five World Cup and three World Championship medals. NSW Sport Hall of Champions Committee Chair, Alan Whelpton AO, said the inductees have been recognised for their outstanding sports careers which saw them reach the pinnacle of their chosen sport. “They represented their country, state, sport, and themselves with distinction and inspired a new generation of athletes to follow in their footsteps,” Mr Whelpton said. Outside the gym, Sellathurai has been studying medicine in the UK, where he helped on the frontline in the battle against COVID. He has previously spoken about how his experience as an elite gymnast got him through the relentless grind of the pandemic. Hall of Champion inductees are approved by the Minister for Sport following recommendations from the Hall of Champions Selection Committee and NSW peak sporting bodies. Congratulations to Prashanth and all the inductees! Dr Prashanth Sellathurai, son of Dr Krishna Sellathurai & Dr Maithily Sellathurai (a member of the TSCA) will be inducted into the Hall of Fame and the Sports Museum, which together form the Hall of Champions The Commonwealth Games gold medallist has been announced as one of six athletes chosen for their distinguished careers by the NSW Sport Hall of Champions. The group will join an illustrious alumni that includes 388 sporting greats from 59 sports. They will be inducted at the rebel NSW Champions of Sport ceremony at the International Convention and Exhibition Centre in Darling Harbour on Monday, November 28.
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