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| Saturday, 7 August 2004 |
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PM urges Olympians to bring glory by Dinesh Weerawansa Prime Minister, Mahinda Rajapakse asked Sri Lankan Olympians to behave like true sporting ambassadors and make every effort to bring glory to the Motherland. He made these observations at a special ceremony held at the Temple Trees yesterday to greet the Sri Lankan contingent for the forthcoming Olympic Games in Athens. Four postage stamps to mark the Summer Olympics in Athens too were issued at the ceremony, attended by the Minister of Youth Affairs & Sports Jeewan Kumaratunga, Minister of Posts and Telecommunications D.M. Jayaratne, Deputy Ministers Sripathi Sooriyarachchi and Rohitha Abeygunawardena. The Prime Minister said sportsmen and women have a good opportunity to set an example to the others and act like sporting ambassadors to keep the good name of the country. "You have a special responsibility by the nation. It is your duty to take our country to the world as true citizens of the Mother Lanka," PM Rajapakse said when he addressed the Lankan contingent. He also said the Olympics is a lifetime experience and rare opportunity to perform at the highest level and wished the team success in the weeks to come. He noted that Sri Lankan sportsmen and women have achieved many triumphs in the international arena and wished them strength to bring even more glory and keep the Lion flag fluttering high. Minister Kumaratunga said the Government is in the process of implementing a national sports policy, giving greater opportunities to country's budding sportsmen and women. He said there have been a few more areas to be corrected and put Sri Lanka sports on the right path. He asked the Lankan Olympians to make the best use of the golden opportunity they have got and to work hard to fulfil their sporting dreams. Minister Jayaratne said Sri Lanka is being better known for its sporting success in some countries. "I went to Samoa recently and was introduced by them as a Minister from the cricket island. Similarly, athletes and other sportsmen have made our country proud. I hope the team to Athens too would be able to keep that good name," he observed. President of the National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka, Hemasiri Fernando said the Olympic movement is the largest international body with over 202 countries as members. He thanked the Minister of Posts and the Philatelic Bureau for recognising the Olympians and issuing four postal stamps to mark the greatest sporting event on earth. Leading Sri Lankan contingent at the Athens Olympics will be Susanthika Jayasinghe, who will return to the place which changed her destiny. It was in Athens seven years ago that Jayasinghe won her country's first ever medal - a silver in women's 200m, at an IAAF World Championship meet. That inspiration led her to win her country's first Olympic medal in 52 years at the last Olympics in Sydney, 2000. Dialog GSM is the proud sponsor of the Sri Lankan contingent for the Olympic Games. The CEO of Dialog GSM, Dr. Hans Wijesuriya, a leading sports promoter, has come forward to boost the Sri Lankan Olympic contingent wish a lavish sponsorship package. Incidentally, Dialog GSM sponsored the Lankan contingent for the last Olympics in Sydney, when Jayasinghe created history. Among those who were present at yesterday's ceremony were the Secretary to the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, S. Ranugge, Director General of Sports Milton Amarasinghe, Secretary General of the NOC Commodore H. U. Silva, General Manager/Marketing of Dialog GSM Nushad Perera, National athletic coach Lakshman de Alwis and Chairman of the National Sports Council Saman Amarasinghe. |
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