Sri Lanka’s para athletes have won silver and bronze at the World Para Athletic Grand Prix meet continued in Dubai, UAE.
They did well to win two more bronze medals on the third day yesterday for a total of three bronze medals in a bid to qualify for the Paralympic Games to be held in Tokyo from August 24 to September 5.
Javelin exponent Gamini Ekanayake produced a fine performance to finish in second place with a throw of 58.55m while competing in the F/46 event on Friday while Sampath Hettiarachchi who took part in the Javelin throw F/38/42/63/64 event finished third with a throw of 56.34m to take the bronze medal.
Palitha Bandara who is taking part for the first time in this meet, achieved a distance of 13.42m in the shot putt event for men F/42/63 to win a bronze medal.
Women’s para athlete Kumudu Priyanka won the first bronze medal on the first day for Sri Lanka in the long jump event in the T/46/47 category. This also happens to be Kumudu’s personal best effort.
According to team manager Colonel Deepal Herath two athletes, Amara Indumathi and Maduranga Subasinghe took part in the women’s and men’s 400m event respectively later in the evening.
According to the president of the Paralympic Committee Major General Rajitha Ampemohotti the three men’s medal winners are within the required qualifying standard set by the World Para Athletics. They have a definite chance to receive Paralympic slots in time to come and Sri Lanka is awaiting the official confirmation from the world governing body.