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Saturday, 9 November 2019 00:04 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
By Hishan Welmilla in Dubai
The 9th edition of the World Para Athletics Championship got underway in Dubai for the third consecutive day, with a line-up of many track and field final events.
Only one Sri Lankan will be in action today in the competition – Kumudu Priyanka will take part in the Women’s T46 long jump final event. Kumudu has recorded 4.41m as her personal best in this event, and is looking forward to register a win at the competition.
She will receive tough competition from Aleska Moguchaia of Russia (personal best 5.74m), Kiara Rodriguez of Ecuador (personal best 5.55m), and Angelina Lanza of France (personal best 5.49m) .
Chaminda Sampath Hettiarachchi and Samitha Dulan were in action in the Men’s F44 Javelin throw yesterday. Both Sri Lankans faced strong competition from Indian and Trinidad & Tobago athletes, as expected. The event got underway at the Dubai Club for People of Determination grounds at 6.00 p.m. local time. Sri Lanka expected these two athletes to register Sri Lanka’s mark by claiming a medal. Samitha Dulan was able to record the best distance in his second attempt with 57.01m, and finished in fourth place. Chaminda Hettiarachchi recorded his best performance in the competition with a distance of 50.35m, with the attempt placing him at 10th place.
From left: (top row) Kumudu Priyanka, Women’s T46 Long Jump; Amila Prashan, Men’s T44 100m; A. G. Chuladasa, Men’s T44 100m; (bottom row) Dinesh Priyantha, Men’s F46 Javelin Throw; Buddika Indrapala, Men’s T42 Long Jump; Nuwan Indika, Men’s T44 Long Jump; Palitha Bandara, Men’s F42 Shot Put
India’s S. Sandeep, the world record holder of the F44 event, was the pick of the athletes in the Start list, with a distance of 65.80m as his season’s best and world record mark, established in June this year.
Sandeep continued to make his mark with another world record distance of 66.18m, bettering his previous distance. This won him the gold medal, while his teammate S. Sumit was also able to register a world record in the F64 event, with a distance of 62.88m.
Sunday 10 November will be the most important day for the Sri Lankan camp as six Sri Lankan athletes will be in action in search of a medal.
Asian double gold medallist Amila Prashan, who won both 100m and 200m in the T-42 category in Jakarta, and A.G. Chuladasa will take part in men’s T44 100 event heats, while Dinesh Priyantha Herath, who won the bronze at the Rio 2016 Paralympics, once again will take part in the F-46 Javelin Throw.
Nuwan Indika will take part in the Men’s T44 Long Jump event, and Buddika Indrapala will also be in action in the Men’s T42 Long Jump event. Palitha Bandara will take part in the Men’s F42 Shot Put event.
The 2019 World Para Athletics Championships will be the first sporting event to promote the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs).
The SDG emblem will be visible on all athletes› bibs at the competition.
Algerian runner Abdellatif Baka, Japanese long jumper Atsushi Yamamoto, British wheelchair athlete Kare Adenegan, javelin thrower Ken Kahu of Vanuatu, United Arab Emirates shot putter Sara Alsenani and Shahrad Nasajpour, a discus thrower with the refugee Para team, were the first athletes to receive the bibs.
Spaces around the field of play have also been provided to raise awareness of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) signed a statement of intent with the UN SDG Action Campaign last month at the IPC General Assembly in Bonn.
