The cynosure of all eyes will be 27-year-old Abeykoon who won the Resisprint International meeting in Switzerland clocking 9.96 and became the first athlete from South Asia to run below 10 seconds.
Italy-based Abeykoon is going through a purple patch in his career shattering barriers with ease since clocking 10.16 to break the South Asian record in 2020 becoming the first South Asian in 32 years to qualify for the men’s 100m race at the Olympics where he clocked 10.32.
However, failed to live up to his billing at the IAAF World Athletic Championship in Oregon, USA clocking 10.19 in the heats which was not enough to qualify for the next round.
It remains to be seen whether Abeykoon will rise to the big occasion after disappointing at the Olympics and World Championships. He can take inspiration from former Sri Lanka star Shehan Ambepitiya who qualified to the semifinals of the 100 and 200 metre events at 2010 Delhi Games. Ambepitiya won three gold medals at the2008 Commonwealth Youth Games.
Three boxers will be in action today in round of 16 clashes. First up is Rukmal Prasanna against Kenya’s Bakari Hassan in the bantamweight over 51kg-54kg, Sajeewani Cooray should overcome Pakistan’s Mehreen in the featherweight over 54kg-57kg, and Niklas Vittalis will make his international debut against Marion Faustino of Samoa in the lightmiddle over 67kg-71kg.
Results
JUDO
Men 60kg Round of 16: Dylan Munro (Scotland) beat Priyankara Wimukthi Premarathne by Ippon after 2:41 minutes
WEIGHT LIFTING
Men’s 81kg Chinthana Vidanage ranked 9 out of 11 Total 282kg (127+155)
SWIMMING
Women’s 200m Backstroke Ganga Seneviratne 2:26.63 ranked 6th in heat 2 (Qualified as a reserve for final)