Sri Lanka Team for Tokyo Olympics 2021

Nilani Rathnayaka, the 3000m Steeplechase runner who was within the Olympic qualifying quota ever since the qualification system was introduced, slipped just one place out of the cut-off mark at the eleventh hour, as Sri Lanka’s Olympic team was confirmed as nine athletes from eight sports. Only 100m runner Yupun Abeykoon qualified from World ranking, while show jumper Mathilda Karlsson and gymnast Milka Gehani de Silva achieved qualification through continental quota, which Ceylon Today exclusively reported earlier.

Yupun, the Italy based 26-year-old sprinter hailing from Pannala, is ranked 46 in the Tokyo qualification list, where 56 runners get a chance to compete apart from invitational entries. The South Asian record holder (indoor and outdoor) is based in Italy and trains under former Olympian Claudio Licciardello. He clocked 10.15 (wind aided), 10.13 and 10.09 in the process of achieving the qualification.

He is the first South Asian male to achieve Olympic qualification since the qualification system was introduced in 2000, and first Sri Lankan male to take part in the Olympics in the 100m since 1996.

Show Jumper Mathilda Karlsson had to go through a torrid time to confirm her qualification. She went through a lengthy legal process challenging the world governing body through the Court of Arbitration, and won her case.

In a complicated selection process, she was ranked second from the continent just a few days before the cut-off date, which enabled her to secure one of the individual jumping quotas for the Olympics in December 2019, but then had an unexpected legal battle on her hands where she was successful, to keep her dream alive.

Sri Lankan born Mathilda, who grew up in Sweden but is now based in Germany, switched her allegiance a few years back to Sri Lanka, which has allowed her to represent the country. Milka Gehani de Silva, who received an IOC scholarship to train in Japan, secured a continental individual quota for the Olympics after the Asian Championship was cancelled.

Milka was ranked No.1 ahead of India’s Pranati Nayak, as the duo qualified to compete from the region. Steeplechase runner Nilani Rathnayaka was in the ranking at 34th position by 2020 where 45 qualified for the Olympics. Since then, she did not get a single opportunity to compete internationally until last week.

During the National trials, officials made a mockery of the race as the steeples were the wrong height, which affected her time as well as injuring herself, resulting in missing training for two weeks. It affected her time at the National Championship too in May, as she had very limited recovery time in between and failed to improve her points.

Since then, her position gradually slipped to 46, where 45 get in. Points of both 45 and 46 changed by less than one, and if she was 0.5 second faster during the Nationals she could have got in, but she was left with heartbreak yesterday. When a country doesn’t have a qualified athletes from one gender, World Athletics provides for an invitational place, and this place could only be given to short and middle-distance athletes, and the 3000m steeplechase is not part of it.

So, Nimali Liyanarachchi, the 800m runner who is next best in the ranking (56) got the call, which left her jubilant. There are 48 athletes selected for the 800m, and Nimali is ranked 56th in the list and was almost unfortunate to miss out, but lady luck worked in her favour as she achieved her greatest achievement in her long career, which includes SAG and Asian Championship gold medals, and participation in all major championship including Asian Games, Commonwealth Games and World Championship, and now Olympics.

Meanwhile five other athletes’ representing four other sports got invitational entries which is granted to countries with no qualified athlete in those sports. In this list is Judoka Chamara Dharmawardana ranked 308 in the World in his weight category, while shooter Tehani Egodawatte is ranked 223 in the world in the 10m air rifle event.

Captains

The National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka has decided to appoint Gymnast Milka Gehani de Silva and Judoka Chamara Dharmawardana as captains of the Sri Lanka team. Secretary General Maxwell de Silva said Chamara was appointed captain based on seniority, even though he is an invitation entrée for the Olympics. Chamara competed at the 2016 Rio Olympics also as an invitation entrée. Officials and Coaches of the Team as follows:

Badminton – Dinuka Karunarathne (Training Partner cum coach) Shooting – Pradeep Edirisinghe (Manager) Swimming – Manoj Abeysinghe Gymnastic – Kapila Jeewantha (Manager), Ranhana Tharanga (Coach) Equestrian – Suranjith Premadasa (Manager), Nikolay Borisov (Groom), Manfred Allworden (Horse assistant), Cedrik Marie (Veterinarian), Aenne Muller (Training Pass) Judo – Amal Rathnayaka, Coach Athletics – Claudio Liccardello (Coach-Yupun), Sujith Abeysekara (CoachNimali) Admin Officials – Gamini Jayasinghe (Chef De Mission), Chandana Liyanarage (Press Attache), Dr. Himan de Silva (COVID19 Liaison Officer), Hansika Wijayagunasekara (Administrative Personnel)