The 21st Commonwealth Games is set to get off the mark on April 4 in Cold Coast, Australia with over 40 countries competing in nineteen sporting disciplines with a grand opening ceremony lined-up.
The events are to commence on the following day with a schedule of 11 sporting disciplines and the Sri Lankan contingent to the Games has 80 sportsmen and women participating in
13 different sports. They have already left for Australia along with 38 officials including coaches and managers.The Chef de Mission for the Games is Chandana B. Liyanage while his deputy ius M.A. Chandana Upul Perera. Sunethra Udayakumari Weerasinghe is the Chaperon in charge of sportswomen while U.Kaushalya Danthanarayana of the National Olympic Committee joins the delegation as the Administrative Official for the Gold Coast Games.
Sri Lanka has included coaches for teams participating in different sports with an assistant coach to support the coach.
Coaches for Aquatics Swimming and Diving are Buddhi MC Abeysinghe, Julian Bolling and WM Chanaka Duminda with the manager as AT Chanaka Hashantha.
Athletics which has the highest number of members is managed by Nimalsiri H. Withanage and the coaches are Sunil Gunawardene (coach cum coordinator relay team), Miranda Ramirez Luis (Middle Distance), GL Sajith Jayalal (Jump) and Harsha Kingsley Gunetilleke (Javelin).
The men’s badminton team is managed by Duminda Tharangasiri Gamaga while Waruna Nishantha Chamara Aluthge handles the women and Danesh Malliyawadu and Tony Wahyudi are the coaches.
Jude Mahesh Perera heads the Beach Volleyball team which consist of two players ML Asanka Prdeep Kumara and Shashimal Malintha Yapa.
The Sri Lankan boxers numbering six are under the guidance of Dian Gomes and TB Harsha Kumara. The two cyclists are Avishka Dilruwan and Chamika Sandun Kumara under team manager Clement Ranasinghe and Upali Indrasiri Ratnayake.
Four women gymnasts are under coach cum manager Svetlana Joukova who has the support of Monique Elia Petricone who also serves as the Medical Assistant..
The rugby Sevens side has twelve players and four stand-byes under the guidance of Inthisham Ismail Marikar, Peter George Arawhata Wood (Coach) and Nicholas Groube (Trainer).
Pradeep Chithaka Edirisinghe is in charge of the shooting team as coach cum manager while on tour. The coach for squash squad is CH Thalagala while the table tennis team of six players three men and three women are headed by Vajira Madushanka Wickramasinghe (coach) and Chathura Jayendra (manager).
The weightlifting squad which also has a large number of competitors in different weight classes will be under the care of Ajith Thamel Warnakulasuriya (manager), RMRB Wickramasinghe (head coach), PKG Navindra Dayan (assistant coach) and Upul Banadara Jayatilleke (masseur). Jagath Piyaratne serves as the coach of the wrestlers while Prageeth Priyantha is the manger.
The Sri Lankan participants:
Aquatics Swimming and Diving: Cherantha Gihash de Silva, Matthew Abeysinghe, Dimuth Akalanka Peiris, Kyle Abeysinghe, Thelge Peiris, Vinoli Kaluarachchi and Dilrukshi Avanthi.
Athletics: Manjula Kumara, D. Sampath Ranasinghe, Suranjaya de Silva, Himasha Eshan, Shehan Abeypitiyage, Mohamed Ashraf Abdul Ladeef, Sumesh Wickramasinghe, Janaka Prasad Wimalasiri, WKLA Nimali, A.A. Gayanthika, Nadeesha Lekamge, Hiruni Wijeratne and Rumeshika Ratanayake.
Badminton: Buwaneka Dullewa, Dinuka Karunaratne, Niluka Karunaratne, Sachin Dias, Thilini Hendahewa, Kavidi Sirimannege, Hasini Ambalangodage and Madushika Dilrukshi.
Beach Volleyball: Asanka Pradeep Kumara and Malinda Yapa.
Boxing: Ishan Seneviratne Bandara, Thiwnaka Sandaruwan Ranasinghe, Dunidu Saparamadu, Anusha Dilrukshi, Dulani Jayasinghe and Keshani Kasturiarachchi.
Cycling: Avishka Dilnuwn and Chamika Kumara.
Gymnastics: Ridma Gunatilleke, Amaya Sithumini Kalukottage, Kaushini Gunasinghe Gamage, Anna-Marie Suzanne Quint Ondaatje.
Rugby: Mihiran Muthuthanthri, Danusha Dayan, Rehan Rumesh Silva, Omalka Guneratne, Jason Dissanayake, Srinath Sooriyabandara, Tarinda Ratwatte, Kavindu Perera, Anurudda Wilwara, Richard Dharmapala, Dhanushka Ranjan, and Naveen Henakankanange. Stand Bye: Hirantha Perera, Raffaideen Reeza, Sudam Suriyaarachchi and Buddima Priyaratne.
Shooting: Dinesh Fernanado, Upul Kumara Wijeratne and Sanduni Yasanthika Perera
Squash: Ravindu Hasintha Laksiri and Mihiliya Methsarani.
Table Tennis: Imesh Udaya Ransinghe, Rohan Sirisena, and Nirmal Jayasinghe, Ishara Madurangi Dharshika, Hansani Kapugeekiyana and Erandi Warusawithana.
Weight Lifting: Chathuranga Lakmal, Thilanka Viraj Kumara Palangashinghe, Indika Chathuranga Dissanayake, Geetal Vidanage, Shanaka Peters, Saman Abeywickrama, Ushan Cahruka, Dinusha Hansani Bomiriyage Gomes, Chamari Mendis Warnakulasuriya, Nadeeshani Sandamali Rajapaksha and Chathurika Priyanthi Balage.
Wrestling : Divoshan Charles Fernando, Suresh Chanaka Fernando, Deepika Weerabahu.