Lankan competitors out to give of their best in Pune

Chris DHAMBARAGE

Sri Lankan sportsmen and sportswomen will be hoping to exploit the typical sub continent conditions when the third Commonwealth Youth Games gets underway at the Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex in Balewadi, Pune, India on Sunday.

The Chef De Mission of the 21 member Sri Lankan contingent Rajiva Wijetunga expressed his confidence that his team has a great chance of making an impact with the weather conditions and the environment more suitable for the athletes.

In fact this is the first time that the Commonwealth Youth Games is been staged in Asia following the previous two events which were worked off in Edinburgh and Bentigo respectively.

This is also the first time that over 71 countries are competing with the participation of more than 1500 sportsmen and sportswomen. There were only 12 countries vying for honours at the inaugural and the second edition of the Commonwealth Youth Games but this time India have been able to attract a large number of participation in one of the biggest sporting events to be hosted by Pune.

The Commonwealth Youth Games is the brainchild of Suresh Kalmadi who believes that this is a stepping stone in his quest to give shape to late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s dream of bringing Olympics to India.

The IOA President, who was instrumental in pipping Canada to bring Commonwealth Games 2010 to New Delhi feels that his ultimate aim is to bring the 2020 Olympics to the country and the successful hosting of the Commonwealth Youth Games would give India a strong chance when the bidding happens in 2011.

Meanwhile the Sri Lankan contingent arrived in Pune yesterday and are expected to have their first work out today ahead of Sunday’s grand opening ceremony. Wijetunga who is also the President of the Table Tennis Association of Sri Lanka said that the Sri Lankan sportsmen and sportswomen have all the ingredients with them to prove their talent and potential.

Wijetunga said that the expectations are more on star athlete Shehan Abeypitiya who will compete in the boys 100 metres and 200 metres events, swimmer Andrew Abeysinghe and the two table tennis players Buddhika Walpola and Shanaka Ganegoda.

Abeypitiya who finished seventh at the recent World Youth track and field meet will of course face stiff resistance from the star studded Jamaican athletes who are set to dominate the proceedings. In addition Buddhika Walpola and Shanaka Ganegoda will be determined to maintain their excellent form having bagged a silver medal at the previous South Asian youth table tennis championships in Pakistan.

The Sri Lanka squad

Athletics: Shehan Abeypitiya, D. M. Nawaratne, Eranga Silva, Keeth de Mel, Roshan Chamara Silva, Ishani Edirisinghe, Ranil Jayawardena, Roshan Chamara Peiris.

Swimming: Heshan Unambuwa, Andrew Abeysinghe and Mineka Karunaratne.

Badminton: Kanthi Wijetunga, Achani Ratnasiri.

Boxing: W. S. K. Fernando, D. M. Anuratne.

Tennis: Chathimi Jayawickrema, A. Muttiah

Table Tennis: Buddhika Walgampola, Shanaka Ganegoda.

Weightlifting: S. Liyanarachchi and S. M. Bandara.