Former Olympian Darsha in charge of SLA Women’s Affairs

The Executive Committee of SLA appointed the heads of 11 sub-committees, which would look into the development of activities for the period from 2021 to 2025.

Darsha, who is also the Vice-President of SLA, is the youngest Sri Lankan athlete to take part in Olympics where she ran in the 200metres event at the 1992 Games in Barcelona, Spain still as a schoolgirl.

Darsha was the first choice for the Olympic Games in 1992 and she acquitted herself creditably while qualifying for the second-round in the 200metres event.

However, her lack of experience prevented her from proceeding further. After the Olympic Games she participated in an Invitational Athletics Meet in Malaysia and won the Gold Medal in the 100metres and in the 200metres events. Thereafter, she was awarded the Duncan White Trophy in 1992.

Darsha participated in the 4X100metres relay events at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and participated in the 400m event at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games.

She also represented Sri Lanka at the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and secured fourth place in the 400m event. At the 1994 Hiroshima Asian Games she won a Bronze Medal in the 200m and was placed sixth in the 4X100metres Darsha won the 200m and 400m Gold Medals at the 1998 Bangkok Asian Games and was placed fifth in the 4X400m relay and was placed sixth in the 4X100metres relay.

In addition, Darsha won the 400m Gold Medal at the 2002 Busan Asian Games while setting a new record of 51.13s. She proceeded to Australia in 1993 for special training and was later bestowed with the ‘Deshamanya’ Award.

Meanwhile, President of SLA Major General Palitha Fernando was appointed Chairman of the District and Affiliated Development Committee while Vice-President of SLA Lal Chandrakumara was appointed head of the Coaching and Training Pools Committee.

The current Prison Commissioner Chandana Ekanayake was appointed Chairman of the Disciplinary and North East Development Committee. The official statistician of SLA Saman Gunawardena was appointed Chairman of Record Statistics and Standard Committee.

SLA is also planning to organise a series of special activities to commemorate their Centenary Year in 2022.

Following are the Sub-Committee Chairmen appointed for the period 2021-2025:

Competition Committee: Palitha Jayathilleke.

Equipment and Grounds Committee: Jagath Silva.

Training Pools Committee: Lal Chandrakumara.

District and Affiliated Development Committee: Major General Palitha Fernando. Constitution and Ceremonial Committee: Ajith Naragala.

Women’s Affairs Committee: Damayanthi Darsha. Technical Officials and Media Committee: G. L. S. Perera

Disciplinary and North and East Development

Committee: Chandana Ekanayake. Records, Statistics and Standard Committee: Saman Gunawardena. Finance and Sponsorship Committee: Prasanna Indika.

Schools Athletics Development: Upali Amarathunga.