Colombo, Feb 22, 6.25PM – Twenty-five athletes out of 58 in the National High Performance Programme Pool, known as “Road to Paris 2024,” are para-sports athletes. This makes up 43 percent of the total number. The Sri Lanka Department of Sports Development has given recognition to para sports in Sri Lanka. The country has won medals in every Paralympic Games since 2012 London, 2016 Rio, and 2021 Tokyo.
In para athletics, athletes include Dinesh Priyantha for javelin throw F46, Samitha Dulan for javelin F44, Maduranga Subasinghe for 400m T47, Pradeep Somasiri for 1500 T46, Nuwan Indika for 100m and Long Jump T44, Palitha Bandara for Shot Put F42, Kumudu Priyanka for Long Jump T45/T47, Anil Prasanna Jayalath for 100m T42/T63, Buddhika Indrapala for 100m T42/T63, Amila Prasan for 400m T44/T62/T64, Deshan Silva for shot put F40/F41, and Heshan Fernando for Long Jump T46.
In para badminton, Sujeewa Perera competes in singles SL4. Priyamal Jayakody represents in rowing for 2000m single scull. In swimming, Galina Basnayake and Naveed Raheem participate in the 400m Freestyle S9 category. DD Silva competes in Table Tennis in Single Class 9. In wheelchair events, Suresh Dharmasena included in open singles and selected, while Gamini Dissanayake competes in Open S/D.
As the only woman athlete, Jayani Dhananjana has been named in Long Jump T45/T46/T47.
