Gayanthika first Sri Lankan athlete for 1500m at World Championship

Sri Lanka women’s Athlete Gayanthika Abeyratne will a get chance to compete in the 1500m for the forthcoming World Athletic Championships in Budapest, Hungary from August 19.

This is the first time a Sri Lankan woman athlete qualified for 1500m event while Chaminda Wijekoon who is based in New Zealand took part in men’s 1500m in 2011 World Championship. Gayanthika from Sri Lanka Navy coached by Sajith Jayalal hails from Sooriyawewa presently is in the top 56 of the world.

The National record holder recently won both 800m and 1500m bronze medals at the Asian Athletic championship in Bangkok and also focus on the Asian Games.

Meanwhile Dilhani Lekamge joined the Sri Lanka team as the second women’s javelin thrower and overall third thrower for the World Athletic Championship. Dilhani is in the top 36 in the world Nadeeka Lakmali was the first thrower to compete at a world Athletic championship while she also qualified for the final event in 2013. Waruna Lakshan is the only male thrower for World Athletic Championship.

The promising middle distance runner Aruna Dharshana who was initially at 53rd position has been upgraded to top 48 and qualified to participate in the 400m individual event. He also a Sri Lanka 4x 400m world Athletic championship qualified relay team member. Actually it is after 2005 world championship Sri Lanka male athlete qualified for this event while the last men’s athlete was Prasanna Samarasekara in 2005.