By Hishan Welmilla
Aichi-Nagoya, Japan: Sri Lanka’s Janani Dhananjana Wickramasingha will be among the country’s key medal prospects at the 5th Asian Para Games 2026, as she prepares to compete in the women’s T47 100m, 200m and long jump events in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
The experienced para-athlete will return to the continental stage determined to build on her previous international successes and strengthen Sri Lanka’s medal challenge at the Games, scheduled for October 18–24.
Janani arrives in Japan with an impressive record of performances across track and field. One of her most significant achievements came at the 2023 Asian Para Games in Hangzhou, China, where she won the silver medal in the women’s T47 long jump, establishing herself among Asia’s leading competitors in the event.
She also represented Sri Lanka at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, finishing ninth in the women’s T47 long jump with a distance of 4.96 metres. The experience of competing against the world’s best athletes provided valuable exposure ahead of another major international assignment.
Her progress continued in 2025 when she delivered an outstanding performance at the World Para Athletics Grand Prix in New Delhi, winning gold in the women’s T47 long jump and silver medals in both the 100m and 200m events.
Janani carried that momentum into 2026, producing another impressive display at the Fazza International Para Athletics Grand Prix in Dubai. She secured gold medals in the women’s 100m and long jump, clocking 12.88 seconds in the sprint and recording a leap of 5.25 metres.
She also demonstrated her growing competitiveness at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, finishing fourth in the women’s T47 100m final with a personal-best time of 12.50 seconds, narrowly missing the bronze medal by just 0.04 seconds.
Her recent performances, combined with her Asian Para Games experience, make her an important athlete to watch in Japan. The challenge will be to reproduce that form against a strong international field while balancing the technical demands of sprinting and long jumping.
Dhanajana’s athletics coach Nalinda Senarath is expected to play a key role in guiding her preparations.
“Janani has shown tremendous determination and continuous improvement through her performances at international competitions. Her experience at the previous Asian Para Games, the Paralympics and the Commonwealth Games has helped her develop as an athlete. We believe she has the potential to compete strongly in Aichi-Nagoya, and our focus is on helping her deliver her best performance for Sri Lanka.”
With a proven record of international success and valuable experience at major championships, Janani will aim to turn her preparations into another memorable performance for Sri Lanka at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Para Games.
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