By Reemus Fernando
One of only three Sri Lankans to have cleared the 80 metres mark in the men’s javelin throw and probably the only SL thrower to have performed better than current Olympic and World Champion Niraj Chopra at regional level in the latter’s formative years, Waruna Lakshan Dayaratne is set to deliver his swan song at the Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force Inter Regiment Athletics Championships at Diyagama today.
The first Sri Lankan to break the 75 metres barrier in the men’s javelin throw, the former national record holder is retiring probably without reaching his full potential thanks to country’s underperforming sports hierarchy which miserably failed to understand the golden opportunity that was presented during the last decade.
Sachith Maduranga, Dayaratne, current national record holder Sumeda Ranasinghe and Sampath Ranasinghe elevated the once forgotten field event to new heights with stellar performances during the last decade. Their impressive marks, however, were not loud enough to awaken the sports hierarchy from their deep slumber.
However, it was an entirely different story across the Polk Strait where the budding thrower Chopra received the required assistance to become the formidable thrower he is today. When Dayaratne finished just outside the podium (4th place) with a throw of 76.75 metres at the Asian Athletics Championships in 2015, Chopra was failing even to reach the top eight. But two years later the Indians were occupying at least two places on the javelin throw podium with Chopra on top in the Asian arena.
In 2013 Sachith Maduranga won a silver medal in the javelin throw at the Asian Athletics Championships. That was enough proof that Sri Lanka could excel at international level if proper guidance was given. The athlete trained by A.J. Rodrigo junior had a training stint in Europe prior to his impressive performances. The former Anandian improved the national record four times between 2011 and 2013. But country’s sports hierarchy including the Sports Ministry failed to recognise the achievement of the Asian medallist forcing him to make a premature retirement.
2015 was a landmark year in the men’s javelin throw as the likes of Sumeda Ranasinghe and Dayaratne kept the event among Sri Lanka’s top disciplines in track and field. While Dayaratne was placed fourth at the Asian Athletics Championships, Ranasinghe produced a massive throw of 83.04 metres to create a new national record at a local competition.
It is doubtful whether these two champion athletes received the required backing to reach their true potential. True, Dayaratne received the the Sports Ministry backing to train in Europe but that came as compensation for a blunder caused by the Sports Ministry. In 2017 Dayaratne was left stranded in an airport in China enroute to Taipei to compete in the final leg of the Asian Grand Prix. The Sports Ministry had failed to arrange for him to take his javelin to Taipei. He missed the final leg. The then sports minister compensated by providing funds to train in Europe. But by the time the arrangements were made it was winter and Dayaratne could only complete basic training before his visa expired.
He was one of only four Asian javelin throwers alongside Chopra to compete at the World Championships in 2017 but could not deliver after his training regimen went awry. But to date he is the only Sri Lankan male javelin thrower to have competed at a World Championship.
Currently a Captain in the Sri Lanka Army’s Light Infantry Regiment, Dayaratne retires as a six-time national champion (2009, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016 and 2021). He also bagged four silver medals at the National Championships (2011, 2015, 2019, 2020). Dayaratne also has three titles to his credit at the National Sports Festival.
Incidentally, the former Dhammissara National School, Nattandiya athlete was one of the very few student sportsmen to have had given up cricket for track and field and had his first success in the (Under 17) 400 metres at the All-Island Schools Games before switching to javelin.