Yupun, Nimali expected to provide solace-by Reemus Fernando Source:Island When the men’s 10,000 metres was held at the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo, Sri Lanka’s Ranatunga Karunananda was the last to finish but he won the admiration of the hosts. His courageous run to complete the race after the winners had been decided, epitomize the Olympic creed- the most important thing is not to win but to take part. Like Karunananda, Yupun Abeykoon and Nimali Liyanarachchi are not among the top athletes in their disciplines but could take inspiration from the late athlete’s 1964 story when they compete against odds in their respective disciplines. After witnessing the country’s wildcard entrants being eliminated from the first round in other sports during the last few days, sprinter Yupun Abeykoon and middle distance runner Nimali Liyanarachchi are expected to provide some solace when track and field sports of the Tokyo Olympics starts today. Nimali ...
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Sri Lanka’s contingent prior to the opening ceremony-by Reemus Fernando Source:Island When Sri Lanka’s Olympic contingent were entering the stadium for the Opening Ceremony of the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo yesterday, Nimali Liyanarachchi who could have easily become the country’s flag bearer was taking a seat in the business class for the first time in a long career to take wing from Colombo to Tokyo. On the same flight, Sujith Abeysekara who identified the talent at a very young age and helped her blossom into one of the country’s most successful middle distance runners was seated in the economy class. It was not long ago that Nimali and fellow track and field athletes slept on the floor during transit on their way to the last pre Olympic competition. The country’s sports authorities have decided to provide five star facilities to Olympic bound athletes and that paved the way for ...
Jul 25, 2021
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Tagged Nilani Ratnayake, Niluka Karunaratne, Nimali Liyanarachchi
Abeykoon set to arrive in Tokyo on Saturday-by Dinesh Weerawansa Yupun Abeykoon Source:Dailynews TOKYO, July 22 – South Asia’s fastest man Yupun Abeykoon is due to arrive here from Italy on Saturday (24) to compete in the XXX11nd Olympic Games. Abeykoon who lives in Europe will leave from Rome tomorrow while the other athlete from Sri Lanka – middle distance runner Nimali Liyanarachchi will arrive from Colombo on Sunday to reach here on Monday morning. The last of the ninth Lankan competitors to arrive here for the Olympic Games will be Mathilda Karlsson who will arrive in the Japanese capital on July 26. ...
Meet The Sri Lankan Team For 2020 Summer Olympics In Tokyo By Kris Thomas Source:-roar.media UPDATE: Nimali Liyanarachchi has replaced Nilani Ratnayake who previously received qualifications to take part in the 3000-metre steeplechase event, the National Olympic Committee announced on Monday (05). Liyanarachchi will now represent Sri Lanka instead, in the 800 metre sprint event. The Tokyo Summer Olympics was originally scheduled to take place in July-August of 2020 but the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the Games being postponed to this year. The Games will now take place from 23 July to 8 August and will be Sri Lanka’s 18th appearance. It has now been confirmed that a nine-member core team will represent the nation in seven sports. Mathilda Karlsson (37) is the first Sri Lankan showjumper to qualify for the 2020 Olympic Games in the equestrian sport. Milka Gehani de Silva (18), contesting in artistic gymnastics, will also mark ...
Jul 24, 2021
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Tagged Matthew Abeysinghe, Nilani Ratnayake, Nimali Liyanarachchi, Olympics In Tokyo
Air Force Produces Two Olympians to Represent SL in Tokyo Olympics Source:Dailynews The 9-member National Olympic Team heading to participate in the Tokyo Olympics this year is led by Corporal Chamara Dharmawardana as the Team Captain. Dharmawardana is a Judoka from the Sri Lanka Air Force and will take part in the Judo event. This is the second occasion where Corporal Dharmawadana has been part of the Nationa Olympic Team. Corporal Dharmawardhane who hails from Gampola is a Judoka full of national and international level experience and will be competing in the 73 Kg weight class at this year’s Olympics. Corporal Nimali Liyanarachchi who is also a Sri Lanka Air Force Athlete is a member of this year’s National Olympic Team and will take part in the 800 meter event. Nimali Liyanarachchi is the current 800 meter national record holder and secured the Bronze Medal in the Women’s 800 meters ...
Nimali Liyanarachchi – Olympic talent from a humble family in Sooriyawewa-by Dhammika Ratnaweera Nimali Liyanarachchi with Coach Sujith Abeysekera Source:Dailynews The dream of every athlete is to represent the country at the Olympics. Nimali Liyanarachchi from Sooriyawewa, Hambantota eventually fulfilled her dream when she received a Universality place to compete at the Tokyo Games. “Until the last minute I never give up hope. I could not reach the required standard and was placed third at the Inter-State Athletics Championships in Patiala, India,” Nimali revealed. “I had to walk more than four kilometres to reach my school. We had to make this journey every morning and evening,” Nimali recalled about her schooldays. “We had no permanent physical education teacher at school and no one guided us to do our sports and no one gave us support to select the events and everything was done by us,” she regretted. “At the age ...
WA approves Nimali for Tokyo Games-by Dhammika Ratnaweera Nimali Liyanarachchi Source:Dailynews The world governing body for athletics World Athletics (WA) yesterday, confirmed that Sri Lanka’s Women’s 800m runner Nimali Liyanarachchi has qualified for the Tokyo Olympic Games. “Liyanarachchi has qualified as a Universality place for the Women’s 800m event and it has been approved by World Athletics,” Vice-President, Sri Lanka Athletics (SLA) G. L. S. Perera told the Daily News yesterday. However, Nilani Rathnayake could not make it to the Olympics as WA allows Universality places only for sprint and middle distance events and the 3,000m steeplechase event does not feature in that list. ...
Sri Lanka Athletics to go ahead with National Championships-by Reemus Fernando Source:Island Sri Lanka Athletics will conduct the National Championships and the Junior National Championships as scheduled but has considered alternatives in the event of an escalation of Covid 19 cases. The governing body of track and field decided to conduct the two major national events at a meeting held on Wednesday. “We have considered alternatives in the event of an escalation of Covid 19 cases. In case of an increase in cases of Covid 19 we will conduct field events and track events separately at two venues. We have also considered the option of increasing the number of days and reducing the number of events per day to minimize the number of athletes per day at the venue,” Palitha Fernando, who was re-elected as the president at the weekend’s AGM told The Island. ...
May 2, 2021
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Tagged Gayanthika Abeyratne, Nimali Liyanarachchi, Sri Lanka Athletics
