Mixed fortunes for Sri Lankans

Amila Prashan in action

Chuladasa records a personal best

• World Para Athletics Championship 2019

By Hishan Welmilla in Dubai

Three Sri Lankan sprinters were in action on the fourth day (10 November) of the World Para Athletics Championship in Dubai but could not progress beyond the heats.

The Sri Lankan trio took part in the Men’s T44/T64 100m sprint as A. G. Chuladasa managed to run the first heat in a personal best timing of 12.66 seconds despite crossing the finish line in seventh place. Germany’s Johaness Floor (T62) finished the heat with a world record time of 10.54 and qualified for the finals.

Nuwan Indika was the Sri Lankan athlete who ran in the second heat but could not make any impact to the final list, even though he managed to come third in a time of 12.12 seconds.

Asian double gold medallist Amila Prasha, who won both 100m and 200m in the T-42 category in Jakarta, managed to finish third in the last heat with a time of 12.81 but it was not enough to make the final.

The first two in each heat and the next two fastest qualify for the finals.

Dinesh Priyantha Herath, who won the bronze at the last Rio Paralympics in 2016, took part in his pet event F-46 Javelin Throw and it was set to unfold at 6.06 p.m. local time on Sunday.

Buddika Indrapala was to be in action in the Men’s T42/63 Long Jump Final scheduled at 7.39 p.m. local time on Sunday. Palitha Bandara was to take part in the Men’s F42/F63 Shot final event scheduled at 8.08 p.m. local time on Sunday.

Both events were not concluded at the time of going to press.

Nuwan Indika, meanwhile, will take part in Men’s T64 Long Jump event and pushed to straight finals to be worked off on Wednesday (13 November).

Kumudu Priyanka and Amila Prashan in action today

Two Sri Lankan athletes will be in action on the fifth day of the competition.

Kumudu Priyanka will take part in her last event at the competition today. Thirty-one-year-old Priyanka will compete in the women’s T46 100m event head scheduled at 11.47 a.m. local time. She will be running in the first heat. Her best performance is 14.28 seconds, which is far below than the other contenders in the heat.

Amila Prashan will compete in the Men’s T44/64 Men’s High Jump event. The event is scheduled to take place at 7 p.m. local time. The medal prospect in this event is limited for him, but Amila will make his effort to better his personal height of 1.55m.

Personal Best from Kumudu Priyanka

Sri Lanka’s Kumudu Priyanka recorded 4.51m as her Personal Best in the Women’s T46 /T47 Long Jump event. She placed overall 9th. 31 year old Priyanka bettered her previous distance of 4.41m.

Ecuador’s Rodriguez Kiara has taken gold in the Women’s Long Jump T47 with a leap of 5.52m. New Zealander Anna Grimaldi’s season best distance was good enough for silver, while Russian Aleksandra Moguchaia took bronze.

Criticism over low attendance

World Para Athletics Championships organisers have defended staging the competition in Dubai after the first two days played out in front of embarrassingly low three-figure crowds consisting of little more than team members and their families.

Tickets, which cost less than £5 (Rs. 1150), are not available to buy anywhere online for an event supposed to represent the pinnacle of the sport, with sales taking place each day on the gate only. That has left the two small stands at the 2,000-seater Dubai Club for People of Determination largely empty. More than 20 schools will be brought in to provide some atmosphere next week.