The 2025 Asian Athletics Championships take place in Gumi, Republic of Korea from 27-31 May.
Over 2,000 athletes from 43 countries are taking part in the event which is being held in Korea for the first time since the 2005 edition in Incheon.
Sri Lanka Athletics (SLA) is slated to send a young and experienced squad of 20 athletes for the 26th Asian Athletics Championships 2025, set to take place in Gumi, South Korea from 27-31 May.
The squad consists of 13 male athletes and seven female athletes. Seven male athletes and four female athletes are expected to take part in individual events during the four-day meet.
The women’s team will be led by Olympian and javelin thrower Dilhani Lekamge, who won a Bronze medal at the previous edition of the Asian Championship in Bangkok, while Olympian and javelin thrower Sumedha Ranasinghe will lead the men’s team.
Italy-based star sprinter Yupun Abeykoon and reigning national 100 m champion Chamod Yodasinghe will compete in the men’s 100 m event.
The seasoned Abeykoon will also compete in the 200 m event. Promising athlete Lesandu Arthavidu from Ananda College, Colombo will be in action in the men’s high jump.
Sri Lanka will pin high hopes on javelin throwers Sumedha Ranasinghe and Rumesh Tharanga, with the duo being among the best in Asia this year.
The Sri Lanka team includes four relay teams for the men’s 4×100 m, men’s 4×400 m, women’s 4×400 m, and mixed 4×400 m events.
In the previous championship, the men’s 4×400 m men’s relay team won Gold, while the 4×400 m mixed relay team bagged Silver.
The team features four Olympians: Aruna Darshana, Abeykoon, Lekamge, and Ranasinghe.
However, former Gold medallist and Olympian Tharushi Karunarathna will not be in action during this year’s edition as she is currently in the US for studies and further training.
Sri Lanka secured three Gold, two Silver, and three Bronze medals at the last Asian Championships in Thailand.
Nadeesha Ramanayake (400 m), Tharushi Karunarathna (800 m), and the men’s 4×400 m relay team won Gold medals at the last edition in Bangkok in 2023.
This time, Ramanayake competes as the only defending individual Gold medallist from the island nation. She is also a key member of the 400 m women’s relay and 400 m mixed relay teams.
Long-distance runner Rasara Wijesuriya will compete in both the 5,000 m and 10,000 m events.
The men’s 4×400 m relay team comprising Kalinga Kumarage, Darshana, Sadew Rajakaruna, and Kalhara Indupa will look to retain its title.
Darshana and Kumarage are the two seniors in the Gold medal-winning team of the previous championship.
SLA Secretary General Saman Kumara Gunawardena said that the experienced 400 m athlete Darshana, who had been injured at the recently held World Relay Championship, had successfully come through the 300 m test run held on Thursday (22) with a time of 33.41 seconds.
Darshana is expected to compete in the 400 m event as well as the 400 m men’s relay and 400 m mixed relay events in the Asian Championships.
Abeykoon and Yodasinghe will join Dineth Weeraratna, Merone Wijesinghe, and Chamod Dissanayake to form the 4×100 m relay team.
SL squad for the Asian Athletics Championships
Men: Yupun Abeykoon (100 m, 200 m, 4×100 m), Chamod Yodasinghe (100 m, 4×100 m), Kalinga Kumarage (200 m, 400 m, 4×400 m, 4×400 m mixed), Aruna Darshana (400 m, 4×400 m, 4×400 m mixed), Lesandu Arthavidu (high jump), Sumedha Ranasinghe (javelin throw, Captain), Rumesh Tharanga (javelin throw), Meron Wijesinghe (4×100 m), Dineth Weeraratna (4×100 m), Chamod Dissanayake (4×100 m), Sadew Rajakaruna (4×400 m, 4×400 m mixed), Kalhara Indupa (4×400 m, 4×400 m mixed), and Omel Shashintha Silva (4×400 m, 4×400 m mixed)
Women: Dilhani Lekamge (javelin throw, Captain), Rasara Wijesuriya (5,000 m, 10,000 m), Nishendra de Silva (400 m, 4×400 m, 4×400 m mixed), Nadeesha Ramanayake (400 m, 4×400 m, 4×400 m mixed), Sayuri Mendis (4×400 m, 4×400 m mixed), Jayeshi Uththara (4×400 m, 4×400 m mixed), and Jithma Wijethunga (4×400 m, 4×400 m mixed)
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