Sri Lanka Para athletic team comprised seven players won seven medals including two gold and three silvers at the Marrakech World Para Athletic Grand Prix in Morocco. The Lankan team will return home today (1) and welcome ceremony will be organised by the National Paralympic Committee (NPC) today morning at the Karunanayake Airport.
The President of the NPC Colonel Deepal Herath said seven athletes took part this Grand Prix which was the main Paralympic qualification event. Samitha Dulan T 44 Javelin throw and Janani Dhananjana T 47 100m won gold medals with their best achievements while Dhananjana the 18-year-old school girl won a silver medal at T -47 long jump event on final day.
In addition Pradeep Somasiri clinched the silver at T -46 1500m and sprinter Anil Prasanna Jayalath won silver at T-42 event. Two bronze medals were won by Buddhika Indrapala (T -42 100m) and Kumudu Priyanka (T-46 long jump). However we expected T -47 400m medal from Saman Subasinghe but unfortunately he was placed fourth at this event also missed opportunity to qualify for the Paralympics, added NPC President Colonel Deepal Herath.
Anyway 6 athletes out of 7 won medals while young Janani Dhananjana won two medals (one gold and one silver) and this was remarkable achievement, added NPC Presiden
“Actually we can say Janani Dhananjana, Pradeep Somasiri, Anil Jayalath have reached the High Performance standard but we are expected World Paralympic Committee final decision about qualifications for the forthcoming Paris Paralympics. Dinesh Priyantha Herath and Samitha Dulan already qualified for the Paralympics and both of them had Paralympic medals at last Tokyo Paralympics in 2022. Now we will be able to send more than seven players for this Paralympics,” he said.
“We will arrange another four athletes including Dinesh Priyantha Herath for the World Para Athletic Championship in next month which scheduled to be held in Kobe, Japan. Janani Dhananjana, Samitha Dulan, Nuwan Indika, Palitha Babdara also will included for Japan tour which is the final Paralympic qualification event for Sri Lanka para athletes,” added NPC President.
Meanwhile after Morocco World Para Athletic Grand Prix six para athletes Janani Dhananjana, Pradeep Somasiri, Anil Jayalath, Buddhika Indrapala, Kumudu Priyanka, Saman Subasinghe with two coaches Sajith Jayalal and Vimukthi Soyza will return today morning at 9 am. Only Samitha Dulan will return home today evening 15.45pm and NPC officials are expected to have welcome ceremony at the Karunanayake Airport in the morning and Sri Lanka Army officials are expected to welcome Samitha Dulan in the evening 5.45pm.
courtesy dailynews
