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by DINESH WEERAWANSA

A special three-member delegation from Australia is due to arrive in SriLanka today to make a feasibility study on the proposed Nuwara Eliya Sports Complex and Training Centre.

Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports has already done its project report which will be presented to the Australian delegation, which will then make a study tour of Nuwara Eliya tomorrow.

Nuwara Eliya Race Course, which will be developed to Sri Lanka's first ever international multi sports stadium and training centre, would open a new era in local sports with a modern sports training centre. Under the pilot project, Sri Lanka's second artificial 400m athletic track would come in Nuwara Eliya. Since 1991, Sugathadasa Stadium has been Sri Lanka's solitary artificial athletic track and rural athletes had to come all the way to Colombo even from distant places in the up country.

The unique feature in the new international class Sports Training centre, which could be used for high altitude training as done in other countries. Once constructed, it will become the training centre on highest altitude in Asia with 1,899m above sea level. At present, China's National Sports Centre for high altitude training is situated 1,895m above sea level.

Beside athletics (track and field), the new Nuwara Eliya Sports Complex could be used for rugby, soccer, swimming, tennis, badminton, netball, basketball, polo and house racing, the sport for which Nuwara Eliya course famous for decades ago. A new international class swimming pool too would be constructed under the project, which also has provisions for an international cricket stadium too, adjoining the main athletic stadium. A new sports pavilion and indoor stadium too are to come up under the new project, opening greater facilities to sportsmen and women in the Central Province.

On a proposal made by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, the Australian National Institute of Sports has indicated its willingness to help Sri Lanka in the project with the funds coming from the Australian Government, according to the Sports Ministry. Secretary to the Ministry N.G. Punchihewa and Director General of Sports Milton Amarasinghe have been working on the new venture under the direction of Minister of Youth Affairs & Sports, Johnston Fernando.

Meanwhile, the 68-member Sri Lanka national athletic pool for next year's SAF Games is currently in Nuwara Eliya for high altitude training, which is vital part in their coaching process. A new sports stadium complex and training centre would be ideal for Sri Lanka athletes. With provisions for a cricket stadium, picturesque Nuwara Eliya city could well become the world's newest cricketing destination too.

Sri Lanka's national athletes currently training for the SAF Games in Pakistan in March/ April, 2003, are due to return to Colombo from Nuwara Eliya on December 9. They will take a ten day break for the Christmas holidays before resuming the final part of their residential SAF Games training from the first week of January, 2003.

Sri Lanka will be aiming at around ten gold medals at the SAF (South Asian) Games in Islamabad. The events in which Sri Lanka athletes are to be decided on the standards achieved by local athletes within the next couple of months. The final selection trial meet for the SAF Games athletes will be worked off on March 1, 2003 at the Sugathadasa Stadium, Colombo.

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