Sports Ministry to promote gymnastics in a big way

On Sep 19, 2021

The promising Gymnast Milka Gehani de Silva began a new chapter in Sri Lanka Gymnastics when she earned a continental quota spot to the recently concluded Tokyo Olympics.

The 18 year old artistic Gymnast Milka was the first Sri Lankan Gymnast across all disciplines to qualify to the Olympics.

Milka is no stranger to Junior and Senior International competitions. She held the Junior National title from the ages of 8 – 11 and went on to represent the country at the Junior Commonwealth Games in 2016 and finished sixth. She came back to win the National titles in 2017 and 2018 while finishing in the Top 8 rankers at the Asian Championships 2018 in Indonesia. The Youth Olympic Games in 2018 was quite special for Milka’ as she set an area record in Buenos Aires.

Milka Gehani finished 62nd out of 85 competitors who were down to compete in artistic gymnastics at the Tokyo Olympics . Actually this was good start for Sri Lanka Gymnastics.Meanwhile Milka Gehani has received another two-year extension for her sports scholarship to train in Japan and National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka (NOCSL) made all effort for the success of Milka Gehani. They widely believe the gymnast as a possible medal prospect at next year’s Asian Games and that the extension of her sports scholarship is a big boost to her medal hopes. She will be undergoing for three years of training in Japan when the 19th Asian Games will be held in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China from September 10 to 25, 2022.

Meanwhile Sri Lanka Gymnastics Association received big boost from the Sport Ministry to continue their activities with more confidence and massive financial assistance from the Ministry as well as other necessary Infarstructure facilities especially focussing on their training.

Sports Minister Namal Rajapaksa said that Torrington Gymnastic training facility will be elevated to international standards. The Minister said this when the Sports Ministry and Gymnastic Association signed an agreement on a development project as the Ministry granted 36 million rupees funding. Actually we all knew Gymnastics got into history books as Milka Gehani de Silva became Sri Lanka’s first gymnast to qualify for the recently concluded Olympic Games in Japan and it was a remarkable achievement.

The Minister also said that the National Sports Council was of the view that Gymnastics needed more support in Sri Lanka and due to this necessity this agreement was signed targeting the 2022 Asian and Commonwealth Games.

The Minister also said that 70 million rupees will be spent for the current gymnastic facility at Torrington Stadium to be elevated to international standards, while the sports complex in Matara was given to Gymnastic Association through an agreement to be used as gymnastic headquarters.

This was good news for the all Gymnast in Sri Lanka. National Sports Council (NSC) has already recognised Gymnastics is the future medal winning sport at the International level. That’s why they decided to give this type of support to the Association and it is a huge boost for us said Secretary of the Gymnastics Association E.K Jeewantha.