SLAF Athletes Return Home to A Rousing Welcome
7:16am on Thursday 11th July 2013
Sri Lanka Air Force Athletes who represented Sri Lanka as part of the National Team in the 20th Asian Athletic Championship - 2013 in Pune, India from 3rd to 7th July 2013 returned to the Island last morning (09) to a rousing welcome at the Bandaranaike International Airport, Katunayake.
The team of 20 Sri Lankans, of whom 08 members are from the Sri Lanka Air Force, participated in 100 m,200 m, 400 m, 800 m, 5000 m, 400 m Heddle, 3000 m Steeple Chase, High jump, Triple Jump, Hammer Throw and 4x400 m Relay events. The Sri Lankan team came away with two Silver and one Bronze medals. The Silver medals were awarded for Javelin Throw to L/Cpl Sachith Maduranga and WO II Nadeeka Lakmali of the Sri Lanka Army for men’s and women’s events respectively. The Bronze medal for 4x400m Relay was secured by the Sri Lankan team which comprised two Air Force Athletes, LAC Anjana Gunarathne and LAC Dilhan Aloka and two from Sri Lanka Navy, Ordinary Seaman Dulan Priyashantha and Kasun Senevirathne.
The achievements of the 4x400 m event will be a milestone in Sri Lankan 4x400 m Relay history since, their timing of 3:04:92 was less than the expected margin of 3:05.00 which is required to qualify for the World Athletic Championship - 2013. However, Sri Lankan Athletes need to wait until 31st July 2013, when the selection of sixteen teams to take part in the World Athletic Championship - 2013 will take place.
The team of 20 Sri Lankans, of whom 08 members are from the Sri Lanka Air Force, participated in 100 m,200 m, 400 m, 800 m, 5000 m, 400 m Heddle, 3000 m Steeple Chase, High jump, Triple Jump, Hammer Throw and 4x400 m Relay events. The Sri Lankan team came away with two Silver and one Bronze medals. The Silver medals were awarded for Javelin Throw to L/Cpl Sachith Maduranga and WO II Nadeeka Lakmali of the Sri Lanka Army for men’s and women’s events respectively. The Bronze medal for 4x400m Relay was secured by the Sri Lankan team which comprised two Air Force Athletes, LAC Anjana Gunarathne and LAC Dilhan Aloka and two from Sri Lanka Navy, Ordinary Seaman Dulan Priyashantha and Kasun Senevirathne.
The achievements of the 4x400 m event will be a milestone in Sri Lankan 4x400 m Relay history since, their timing of 3:04:92 was less than the expected margin of 3:05.00 which is required to qualify for the World Athletic Championship - 2013. However, Sri Lankan Athletes need to wait until 31st July 2013, when the selection of sixteen teams to take part in the World Athletic Championship - 2013 will take place.
