Susanthika to train in Los Angeles

Plans to start her Olympic training soon:

Dinesh WEERAWANSA reporting from Japan

ATHLETICS: Celebrated woman sprinter Susanthika Jayasinghe, who created history by winning her second IAAF World Championship medal after a decade, plans to commence her Olympic training in the United States before the end of this year.

The 31-year-old Lankan sprint queen said she would go to Los Angeles before the end of this year to undergo intensive training in her lead up for the 2008 Olympic Games in China.

In an exclusive interview with the ‘Daily News’ yesterday, two days after her women’s 200m bronze at Nagai Stadium, Jayasinghe said a comprehensive training program is a must to make a world class athlete.

“If I had got at least one fourth of the superlative training my world class opponents get, I would have done wonders. Though I won a medal here, I did not have proper training in my lead up for the World Championship, except for that last one month in the US,” she said.

Despite giving Sri Lanka another IAAF World Championship medal ten years after her dream silver in the same 200m event in Athens, 1997, Jayasinghe is not satisfied with the timing of 22.63 seconds she clocked to finish third behind American Allyson Felix (21.81) and Jamaican Veronica Campbell (22.34).

“I am not happy with my timing. I should have done better. Unlike others I came here without a proper intensive training schedule. Hence, I ran for about 75% of my true potential in the preliminary round and in the semi finals (where she clocked identical timing of 22.55 seconds - her season’s best),” she said.

Jayasinghe added that her coach advised her not to take a risk and go all out in the first 100m. “Hence, I had to do a calculated run and preserve my energy for the last 100m after the curve when I could see my opponents. That was mainly because I was running in a disadvantageous lane seven,” she added.

The Lankan sprint queen confirmed that she would compete at the National Sports Festival in Beliatta. “It’s an honour for me to compete in the hometown of President Mahinda Rajapaksa. He has made it a point to call me often and inquire about my progress. It has been a big inspiration for me. Hence, I would definitely compete at the National Sports Festival,” she said.

Jayasinghe plans to go back to the United States “as soon as possible” and commence her preparations for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. “Yes, I am hungry for medals. I want to win my country’s first ever Olympic medal before I retire one day. I will make every endeavour to keep that dream alive,” she continued.

Asked about her plans to train in the US, she paid a big tribute to former Sri Lanka high jump champion and first ever Lankan gold medallist at Asian Games, Nagalingam Ethirveerasingam. “He has been looking after me like a father before I came to Osaka. He is willing to help me in future too,” she said.

Jayasinghe explained those gloomy days during which she struggled hard to keep her chances alive.

“I have been looking for a sponsor for some time without success. Fortunately, the Sports Ministry came out and granted me a monthly allowance three months ago,” she said.

The most successful athlete ever produced by Sri Lanka, Jayasinghe said she could fully concentrate on her athletic career if she has a committed sponsor who would partner her for the Beijing Olympics. “I am from a poor family. I had a lot of problems including troubles in the family.

Everybody in my family, including my elder sisters, look to me whenever they are in trouble. Hence, I have been struggling hard to meet day to day challenges in my life. That puts undue pressure. I was devastated mentally,” she explained the hard passage to her success.

Sri Lanka’s ‘Dazzling Gazzelle’ admitted that she had a dream before she came to Japan. “Though I have not said it before, I had a dream of a medal here. I thought there was a better chance in the 100m than my pet event of 200m.

It was a tearful experience for me to quit at 100m quarters due to a false start. But that did not affect my mentality altogether,” said Jayasinghe, who after five days of that debacle, bounced back to strike a medal in 200m.

“Obviously that gave me a scare and that would have contributed to my relatively slow reaction times in the subsequent 200m races,” she admitted.

But the 31-year-old Jayasinghe, who twice survived dope charges, said nothing could beat her determination and courage. “It’s those fighting qualities associated with my character that have brought me this far. I am blessed with talent, speed and endurance. I am ever grateful to my lovable parents who have done so much for me, to beat poverty and groom me the hard way,” she continued.

Asked what her final goal was, Jayasinghe said its nothing but an Olympic gold! Gold?” the writer asked. “Yes, gold and I am going to do that in Beijing next year. Keep your fingers crossed until I make my country proud with its first ever Olympic gold,” a confident Jayasinghe said.

Age has not been a barrier for some athletes to come good at the latter stages of their careers. There are many instances, including Olympic gold medallist Linford Christie who did so at the age of 36. Let’s hope Jayasinghe is going to be one of those ‘extra special’ athletes.

Jayasinghe, who left for Singapore today, is due to arrive in Sri Lanka on Wednesday after an overnight stay in her transit destination.

OSAKA, Monday