Sri Lanka delivered a commanding performance at the 4th South Asian Senior Athletics Championships in Ranchi, India, finishing second in the overall medals tally with 40 medals, including 16 gold, 14 silver, and 10 bronze.
The final day proved especially fruitful for the Sri Lankan contingent, who secured eight gold medals to wrap up the three-day competition on a high.
Sri Lanka’s medal rush began on Sunday with Dasuni Kaushalya winning gold in the Women’s 400m Hurdles, clocking 58.66 seconds. Araliya Sathsarani added to the tally by bagging silver in the same event with a time of 59.24 seconds, finishing ahead of two Indian competitors.
The javelin throw events saw Sri Lanka dominate once again. National record holder Rumesh Tharanga clinched gold in the Men’s Javelin Throw with an outstanding effort of 84.29m, while Sumedha Ranasinghe secured silver with a distance of 81.62m. Veteran thrower Dilhani Lekamge topped the Women’s category with a winning throw of 60.14m.
Middle-distance runner Harsha Karunarathne struck gold in the Men’s 800m, clocking 1:59.96 to finish ahead of the pack.
In the field events, Madushani Herath secured gold in the Women’s Long Jump with a leap of 6.23m, while Methmi Wijesuriya powered to victory in the Women’s 10,000m, posting 35:39.95.
Sprint sensation Safiya Yamic stole the spotlight when she shattered the Women’s 200m record, claiming gold with a blistering 23.58 seconds, ahead of two Indian sprinters.
Sri Lanka ended the championships in style, winning the Men’s 4x400m relay at the Birsa Munda Athletics Stadium in Morabadi, Ranchi, with a time of 3:05.12.
Host nation India topped the medals table with 20 gold, 20 silver, and 18 bronze medals. Nepal finished third overall with six medals. Bangladesh picked up three bronze medals, while the Maldives secured a bronze. Bhutan failed to open their medal account at this year’s championship.
