Team SL gears up for the Olympic Games

Nine athletes, nine dreams, a lifetime in the making. This may sound like a cliched hyperbole, but for Team Sri Lanka, and indeed their contemporaries the world over, the reality is likely far more surreal. 

For an athlete there is no greater feeling than representing your nation and the Olympic Games embodies the pinnacle of that achievement. An event that allows you to showcase your talents to the world, and one where success is more than just about winning. 

Indeed, many of us may never truly understand the sacrifice, desire, willpower, and sheer unbridled determination that goes into becoming a professional athlete; suffice to say, being good enough to compete at the Olympic Games is an achievement in and of itself – something that was given an added twist this past year. 

This unprecedented pandemic has put forth barriers that these athletes could scarcely have imagined – athletes after all are creatures of habit, of routine, the very things the pandemic has put paid to – yet they have defied all the odds. This has by no means been an easy road. 

Some like swimmers Matthew Abeysinghe and Aniqah Gaffoor have had to qualify through invitation places; both were unable to train and compete because of the pandemic, but thanks to the intervention of the NOC Sri Lanka on their behalf, and their achievements in years past, the IOC granted both invitation place entries. 

Either not competing in the Olympic Games would have been a travesty, considering the esteem in which both are held. Abeysinghe is already one of the most accomplished athletes in the country, and is the only Sri Lankan swimmer to achieve an Olympic qualification standard. Gaffoor, meanwhile, at the tender age of 17, already boasts the national record in the 50 m and 100 m Butterfly. 

Gaffoor is in fact one of five female athletes representing Sri Lanka at Tokyo 2020. Of the others, Equestrian Mathilda Karlsson was the first Sri Lankan to qualify for this Olympic Games, with all of Sri Lanka no doubt brushing up on their Equestrian Show Jumping knowledge. 

Artistic Gymnast Milka Gehani meanwhile was awarded one of the two available Asian continental berths to the Olympic Games due to the cancellation of the 2021 Asian Championships, as she was the highest ranked eligible athlete based on the results of the 2019 World Championships. 

Both Karlsson and Gehani are also the first Sri Lankans to represent Sri Lanka in their respective fields. Rounding out the female representation are the eagle-eyed Tehani Egodawela, who will be taking part in the Women’s 10 m Air Rifle Shooting event, and middle-distance runner Nimali Liyanarachchi who will be taking part in the Women’s 800 m event.  On the men’s side, aside from Abeysinghe, there is veteran Badminton champion Niluka Karunaratne, who will be taking part in his third Olympic Games; South Asia’s fastest man and top 50 in the world-ranked sprinter Yupun Abeykoon; and national Judo champion Chamara Nuwan Dharmawardana, who will be competing in his second Olympic Games. 

Dharmawardana, along with Gehani, will also be given the honour of being Sri Lanka’s flag bearers during the opening ceremony of the Games. 

While this is not the largest contingent Sri Lanka has ever sent to the Olympic Games, it is among the most accomplished. The NOC Sri Lanka, too, has done its part in looking to ensure the best the country has to offer are able to compete, despite the numerous challenges these athletes have faced over their careers. 

And none of this would be possible of course without help from the sponsors, namely Presenting Partners – Brandix and Hirdaramani; Associated Partners – MAS and Sunshine Holdings; Official Broadcasting Partners – Rupavahini and Channel Eye; and Activity Partners – Eventistry (Official Marketing Partner), Daraz (Official Digital Partner), LOVI (Official Lifestyle Partner), Swarrnavahini Media Group (Official Electronic Media Partner), Richardson (Official Outdoor Media Partner), and PG Martin (Official Accessories Provider).