Sri Lanka will be represented by a 17-member team at the World Athletics U20 Championships in Eugene, Oregon, which run from August 5 to 9.
The squad spans sprints, middle distance, hurdles, jumps and throws, with 14 men and three women selected.
Men’s team
Sade Rajakaruna and Omel Silva are entered in the 200m, 400m and the 4x400m relay. Theissen Ravindu, I.M. Boyagoda and I. Edirisinghe complete the relay pool.
G.L.N.D. Liyanage will run the 800m, while Himsara Dias and M.A. Rifai contest the 400m hurdles. A.T.P. Mendes and Pagan Nethy Campath are entered in the high jump, and Tehama Fernando and Hanahan Jayasinghe in the triple jump.
Themiya Abeyru competes in the javelin throw. Saad Faleel is Sri Lanka’s entrant in the 100m, the championship’s blue-riband sprint.
Women’s team
Dilanma Hansani Perera and Nissan Nirupama are entered in the 200m. Tharushi Abhisheka Pemasiri will run the 800m.
Context
Several of the selected athletes are coming off strong results at continental level. Sri Lanka took multiple golds at the Asian U20 Athletics Championships in Hong Kong in May, including Tarushi Abisheka’s 1500m title and Ransini Perera’s win in the 200m, where Sadev Rajakaruna took bronze in the boys’ 200m. Outlets render several of these athletes’ names inconsistently between meets.
The team announcement comes a little over a week after Sri Lanka’s Athletics Selection Committee resigned, handing a collective resignation letter to the Secretary of the Ministry of Sports on July 27. Neither the ministry nor the national athletics body has announced a replacement panel.
The World U20 Championships are World Athletics’ flagship age-group meet and are staged every two years.
