By Reemus Fernando
Sri Lanka’s hopes of ending a long-standing medal drought in track and field sports at the Asian Games suffered a severe blow after leading sprinter Yupun Abeykoon announced his withdrawal just two weeks before the start of the multi sports event yesterday.
Abeykoon emerged as the brightest track and field medal prospect for Sri Lanka at the Asian Games after the Italy based sprinter became the first South Asian to run the men’s 100 metres under ten seconds in July last year.
Though he suffered a hamstring injury at the start of this season Sri Lanka Athletics’ administration was looking forward to his recovery intime to compete at the quadrennial event in China.
“I am truly devastated that I won’t be able to compete in the Asian Games this year,” said Abeykoon in a statement through his manager yesterday.
“I was looking forward to representing Sri Lanka on the international stage, but my injury has not healed as quickly as I had hoped. I believe it is in my best interest to focus on my recovery and come back stronger in the future.”
Abeykoon produced a remarkable season-opening time of 10.04 seconds (+2.7 wind) in the heats of the men’s 100 metres at the Savona International Meet in Italy in May. However, he had to be content with second place in the final after slowing down in the last few metres due to an injury.
Abeykoon’s 9.96 seconds feat in July 2022 was the fastest time by an Asian that year, fueling hopes that he could be the first Sri Lankan to win a medal in track and field since 2006.
Abeykoon’s withdrawal yesterday shocked the athletics fraternity. Saman Kumara Gunawardana, the secretary of Sri Lanka Athletics termed it as “loss of hope.”
Now with the leading sprinter not available for the regional showpiece event, the country’s medal hopes in track and field sports will rest on the young shoulders of Tharushi Karunaratne, men’s 4×400 metres relay quartet, seasoned runner Gayanthika Abeyratne, sprinter Nadeesha Ramanayake and the likes of Dilhani Lekamge who won medals at the recently held Asian Athletics Championships.
Sri Lanka has not won a track and field medal at the Asian Games since Susanthika Jayasinghe (100m- Silver, 200m- bronze) and the men’s relay quartet of Rohan Pradeep Kumara, Rohitha Pushpakumara, Prasanna Amarasekara and Asoka Jayasundara won a bronze at the DOha Asian Games in 2006.