‘Authorities find the Marathon boring’- Cooray
For 40 years the owner of the marathon national record was S.L.B. Rosa, who undoubtedly could be rated as the best long distance runner produced by Sri Lanka. There was no Marathon runner born to break the national record which was established in 1975 at the Fukuoka Marathon until Cooray from Divulapitiya, who also received step-motherly treatments from the Sri Lankan sports officials just like Rosa, ran it at 2 hours 13 minutes and 47 seconds at the 2015 London Marathon to break the long lasting record.
Susanthika Jayasinghe has represented Sri Lanka in 4 Olympic Games (1996, 2000, 2004 and 2008) and only Julian Bolling, Sriyani Kulawansa, Damayanthi Darsha and lesser known of the lot, Anuradha Indrajith Cooray have taken part in 3 Olympic Games.
Indrajith is a committed athlete. He represented the paradise nation in the 2004, 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games. In the 2004 Athens Olympics he was placed the 30th out of 113 runners with a timing of 2 hours 19 minutes and 24 seconds. At London in 2012 he became the 55th with a timing of 2 hours 20 minutes and 41 seconds and in 2016 at the Rio Olympics Cooray was placed 38th with an improved timing of 2 hours 17 minutes and 06 seconds.
Born on 24 March 1978 in Divulapitiya, Anuradha was not engaged in sports until he saw the fame gained by his uncle who used to run and win in Avurudu running events. He started to run in 1997 and just after a year he was in the 1998 Asian Games team and ran the 10000m at the meet. Indrajith received lots of love, care and guidance from Brigadier Perry Liyanage who not only spent for his shoes, nutrients and passport but always motivated and backed him to be an Olympic runner. Anuradha was loyal to his coach Liyanage and rejected many other offers and decided to join the Army. Indrajith was a 5000m and a 10000m runner to start with, but later in 2001 he completely focused on the Marathon. Years of dedication and hard work helped him to break the long standing Marathon record. He is the national record holder for the half marathon, 25 km, 30 km and the Marathon. All these were established in the year 2015 in London.
He has always been receiving step-motherly treatment from the national athletic authorities and this made him leave the country in 2005 and settle in the UK. He didn’t move a foot for three years, until 2008, when watching the 2008 Olympics on TV and listening to what legendary coach Yogananada had to say about him in a program motivated him to start training again and run. Years of training in Kenya also helped him to run in the 2012 and 2016 Olympics after participating in 2004 and missing out in 2008. He was also made the captain of the 2016 Olympic contingent.
At 41 Cooray is a resident of the UK currently living in Buckinghamshire who married a Sri Lankan 3 years back and is a full time employee of Greggs the Bakers in Aylesbury.
Talk to us about your childhood.
I was born on 24 March 1978 in Agalagedara, Divulapitiya. I was blessed with one older and one younger brother. My mother had to play the roles of both mother and father since we didn’t grow up with a father from our young days. I attended Divulapitiya Central College.
Who inspired you to choose a sport like athletics?
To be honest, at school, I never engaged in sports. In fact, I rarely went to school too. I had an uncle who used to be a champion at the Avurudu festival races. At that time, I was in my A/L class. I witnessed the fame that my uncle got by running and winning the Avurudu road races, so I wanted to try this out and with the help of my uncle I used to just run around and win in Avurudu races.
Then I ran in the school meets and won the half marathon and 5000m. In 1997 I got selected to take part in the All Island Athletic Meet, but this was unfortunately cancelled.
When did you get serious about athletics?
I guess this was in 1997. I took part in the 1998 All Island Athletic Championship for the 5000m event and won it with a new meet record. That record still exists after 21 years. What’s more extravagant about this win is an outstation boy coming to Colombo, running without shoes, winning and establishing a new meet record in his very first run.
How did you gain fame as a long distance runner?
In 1998 Sirasa organized a large running event where the best marathon runners took part. I had never run such a long distance in my life. Much to the surprise of everyone, I was leading, mid-way into the race. The commentators announced that “a boy from the village” was leading the race and none of them knew my name. The announcers were in a car and came next to me and asked my name. At that time Sarath Gamage was the best marathon runner and I was able to give him a good scare. I lost in the dying seconds of the race, it was almost a photo finish and I received a lot of publicity after that, that’s how the nation got to know me.
Who identified your talents?
S.B. Dissanayake was the Sports Minister back then and he was someone who did so much for the development of sports. Darvin Sir took me to S.B. and he was surprised to see me since I was wearing my best clothes, and he asked Darvin Sir, “Do you think this bloke can run, because he is looking like an actor?” After that he decided to sponsor me and give me good training.
You joined the Army. What was the story behind it?
I ran the Asian Games trials for the 10000m event and clocked the qualifying time. But I was not even included in the team. My school had to get involved and request minister S.B. to include me in the team. They tried to axe me just because I was from a rural school.
I was under the guidance and coaching of Brigadier Perry Liyanage. He gave me everything; he provided me all the facilities from shoes to nutrients. While I was in the 1998 Asian Games I was called by Mr. Dervin to his room, where Coach Sunil Gunawardena and Hemasiri Fernando, the president of the Olympic Committee, were present. They both told me that once I returned to Sri Lanka they would provide me employment at Sri Lanka Telecom and instructed me to train and run under Mr. Dervin. It was the Brigadier who took care of me, he even paid for my passport, and I didn’t want to leave him. Later, in February 1999 I decided to join the Army and ran for them. The Army visited my house twice to take me with them, but I hid; later the Brigadier promised my mother that they were not taking me for the war but to run for them. I officially retired from the Army in 2011.
How was the support given by the Sri Lanka Army?
It was immense. Vimukthi, it’s very hard to find a person like Brigadier Perry Liyanage. He was such a caring human being. He saw something special in me and he spent his own money to buy me vitamins and nutrients.
What do you regard as your main event? How did you become a Marathon runner?
Actually, my main events were the 5000m and the 10000m. I won the Silver medal for the 10000m in the 2001 SAF Games. I completely started to concentrate on the Marathon from 2001. This was mainly because Sarath Gamage, who was the best Marathon runner at the time, lost to Ajith Bandara who was also from the Army, and he couldn’t bear the loss.
I was the half marathon champion in the same year, ‘Swarnawahini Wasantha Udanaya’ was held and my Brigadier asked me to run in it. There I won the 2nd place after losing to the same Ajith Bandara, but I was determined and after 2 months I outran him and maintained that winning status throughout my career.
How about your national performances?
I am still the national record holder for the half marathon with a timing of 1 hour 4 minutes and 45 seconds; 25 km with a timing of 1 hour 19 minutes and 24 seconds; 30 km with 1 hour 35 minutes and 13 seconds; and the Marathon with 2 hours 13 minutes and 17 seconds. All these were established in the year 2015 in London.
Take us through your first international experience and the first international win.
My first international experience was in the 1998 Asian Games and my first International win came in the 1999 SAF Games when I won a Silver medal for the 10000m event.
When did you perform in the South Asian, Asian and Commonwealth Games?
I took part in the 1998 Asian Games for the 10000m event and in the 2014 Asian Games for the Marathon, and was placed 5th. I won a Silver medal at the 1999 SAF Games for the 10000m event, a Gold medal in the 2004 SAF Games for the Marathon and a Silver medal in the 2015 SAF Games for the Marathon. Unfortunately, I didn’t take part in any Commonwealth Games because the Olympic Committee always had issues with me and I was not included.
Vimukthi, I guess many of the people don’t know about this. I was able to win a Bronze medal at the 2001 Asian Cross Country Championship and our men’s team was the first ever team to win a team Gold at cross country championships. But we didn’t receive any recognition or a cent, since there were internal issues in the national athletic committee and the Marathon runners didn’t always receive due credit or recognition. In the 2015 SAF Games I lost the Gold medal by just 1 second; this was mainly due to an error by the referees who ended the race 100m before the finish.
How did you get selected for the 2004 Olympics?
Winning the Gold medal in the 2004 South Asian Games helped a lot and I always met the Olympic qualifying timings. I had also been training in Kenya with many top athletes.
You took part in the 2004, 2012 and 2016 Olympics; what happened in 2008?
From 2005 to 2008 I didn’t even move my leg since I was fed up with sports and the system. I watched the 2008 Olympics on TV and that motivated me to start training once again. I was the captain of the 2016 Sri Lankan contingent.
How about your Olympic experience?
I have taken part in three Olympics, and it doesn’t actually matter how many Olympics you have taken part in because the feeling you get is immense and unbelievable. You feel proud of yourself when you enter the Olympic stadium.
Why is the Marathon not a hit like other events and why are Marathon runners always ill-treated in Sri Lanka?
I guess the officials and the authorities don’t find the Marathon to be a crowd pleaser. Usually the Marathon is run by athletes from rural areas. The event takes over 2 hours and they find it boring. But Vimukthi, the sacrifices we make are greater than the sacrifices any other runner does. We have to get up at 5.00 a.m. and run for 2 hours before the sun shines. I used to run around 220 km a week.
What’s the proudest moment in your athletic career?
Breaking the national record was one of the happiest and proudest moments, since it lasted for 40 long years. Representing Sri Lanka in three Olympic Games as the only long distance runner brought me immense pleasure. Carrying the national flag as the captain of the Sri Lankan team is a proud memory.
Have you ever received any unfair selections?
So many times. From 1998 until now I have been going through a lot. 1998 was when I ran the Asian qualifying time, but my name was axed from the team. Then when I won a Bronze medal in the Asian Cross Country I didn’t receive any recognition or facilities like the other Asian medalist received due to issues in the athletic commission. Once, the chairman of the Sri Lankan Olympic Committee Hemasiri Fernando threatened me saying that he would not allow me to run. My work place in the UK used to give me days off and respect me for being an Olympian, but I doubt whether I received the same respect in Sri Lanka. I spent my own money to travel to Kenya from the UK for trainings and nothing was provided from my home country. The National Olympic Committee receives funds from IAAF, but they never spent a cent on me. They never checked on my progress or health.
When and why did you go to the UK?
I left to the UK in 2005, since I was frustrated and fed up with the sports authorities. After the 2005 World Championships I didn’t run for 3 years. While I was watching the 2008 Olympics on TV Mr. Yogananda, the famous coach, was on a program talking about me and why I left the country. That motivated me and I joined a small club in the UK and started to train again. My coach, Nick Taylor got me addicted to running again and I represented Sri Lanka in the 2012 and 2016 Olympics.
When and why did you retire?
I ran in the 2017 World Championships; 20 years of long distance running at the international level is indeed a big challenge and involves a lot of sacrifices. I gave up in 2017 and will have to inform it officially.
Were you involved in any coaching or administrative roles after retiring?
Yes, I used to go and train a few athletes at my club with my coach Nick. I have also coached a couple of Sri Lankan athletes. It is difficult to coach in the UK without qualifications, so I’m planning to do Coaching Levels 1 and 2.
Where is athletics in Sri Lanka heading now? And what needs to be done to improve athletics?
Sri Lanka athletics is obviously not heading in the correct direction at the moment. We have good talented young athletes, but the question is how they are going to perform well if the authorities do not provide them with all the necessary facilities. All the coaches, athletes and the relevant authorities should come together and work in good collaboration.
Who is Anurada now?
In 2016 I got married. I am a resident of the UK and I currently live in Buckinghamshire, representing the ‘Valley of Aylesbury Athletic Club’, and I am a full time employee of Greggs the Bakers in Aylesbury.
Finally, your views on the SL Olympians?
It’s a wonderful initiative which tries to remind the people about forgotten heroes.
(By Vimukthi Adithya for Ceylon Today )
