Tharushi Karunaratne and Nadeesha Lekamge have qualified for the 2024 Olympics in Paris in the women’s 800m and women’s Javelin Throw events, respectively, according to Sri Lanka Athletics.
Their qualification marks a significant achievement for Sri Lanka, showcasing the country's talent on the international stage. Karunaratne and Lekamge's performances have earned them a spot in one of the most prestigious sporting events in the world, and they will represent Sri Lanka in the upcoming Olympics with high hopes for success.
Tharushi Karunarathne's relentless pursuit of an Olympic berth has finally paid off.
Based on the current Road to Paris Olympic ranking list, Tharushi is in the 45th position. However, several competition results from around the world are yet to be updated in the list.
In 2023, Tharushi delivered stellar performances, clinching both the Asian Games and Asian Championship Gold medals with a personal best of 2:00.66 in the 800m. However, this year has presented challenges. She did not finish an 800m race during an international meet and withdrew from another, leaving her with only one completed 800m race, where she clocked a modest 2:05.74 before last week’s Nationals.
The Sri Lanka Athletics (SLA) decision to include her in the 600m race paid off in Spain, where Tharushi clocked an impressive 1:24.84, earning 1218 points and securing the 49th position on the Road to Olympic list. Her determination was evident at the 102nd National Athletics Championship in Diyagama, where she won the 800m Women’s Final with a time of 2:04.22, earning 1188 points. Her national performance is set to propel her to the 42nd position before today’s results. The direct qualification time for the 800m is 1:59.30, and only the top 48 athletes will make the cut for the Olympics.
With a personal best of 1:24.84 in the 600m, Karunarathne faced limited competition at Diyagama, where she was aided by pacers. She clocked 1:26.99, earning 1146 points, with her average ranking points rising to 1223.6 from the previous 1218.8.
Javelin Queen Dilhani Lekamge
Meanwhile, Javelin Queen Dilhani Lekamge is eyeing to create history after clinching the Gold Medal with a performance of 55.77 metres at the 102nd National Athletics Championship in Diyagama yesterday. Her performance earned her 1100 points, boosting her average ranking to 1157.6 points. This achievement places her excitingly close to securing a spot at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Currently ranked 30th in the Road to Paris Olympic ranking list, Lekamge moved to 25th position after this stellar showing, now standing as the highest-ranked Sri Lankan athlete on the list and positioning herself closest to that elusive Olympic berth.
During the qualification period for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Lekamge set a national record with a personal best throw of 61.57 metres, winning the Silver Medal at the Asian Games in China last year. Notably, she also achieved a distance of 60.93 metres, securing the Asian Athletics Championship Bronze Medal in Bangkok the same year.
The cutoff date for Olympic qualification was 30 June, and athletes from around the world were competing fiercely in various International and National competitions. World Athletics was to finalize the qualification list after the 30th.
Their qualification marks a significant achievement for Sri Lanka, showcasing the country's talent on the international stage. Karunaratne and Lekamge's performances have earned them a spot in one of the most prestigious sporting events in the world, and they will represent Sri Lanka in the upcoming Olympics with high hopes for success.
Tharushi Karunarathne's relentless pursuit of an Olympic berth has finally paid off.
Based on the current Road to Paris Olympic ranking list, Tharushi is in the 45th position. However, several competition results from around the world are yet to be updated in the list.
In 2023, Tharushi delivered stellar performances, clinching both the Asian Games and Asian Championship Gold medals with a personal best of 2:00.66 in the 800m. However, this year has presented challenges. She did not finish an 800m race during an international meet and withdrew from another, leaving her with only one completed 800m race, where she clocked a modest 2:05.74 before last week’s Nationals.
The Sri Lanka Athletics (SLA) decision to include her in the 600m race paid off in Spain, where Tharushi clocked an impressive 1:24.84, earning 1218 points and securing the 49th position on the Road to Olympic list. Her determination was evident at the 102nd National Athletics Championship in Diyagama, where she won the 800m Women’s Final with a time of 2:04.22, earning 1188 points. Her national performance is set to propel her to the 42nd position before today’s results. The direct qualification time for the 800m is 1:59.30, and only the top 48 athletes will make the cut for the Olympics.
With a personal best of 1:24.84 in the 600m, Karunarathne faced limited competition at Diyagama, where she was aided by pacers. She clocked 1:26.99, earning 1146 points, with her average ranking points rising to 1223.6 from the previous 1218.8.
Javelin Queen Dilhani Lekamge
Meanwhile, Javelin Queen Dilhani Lekamge is eyeing to create history after clinching the Gold Medal with a performance of 55.77 metres at the 102nd National Athletics Championship in Diyagama yesterday. Her performance earned her 1100 points, boosting her average ranking to 1157.6 points. This achievement places her excitingly close to securing a spot at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Currently ranked 30th in the Road to Paris Olympic ranking list, Lekamge moved to 25th position after this stellar showing, now standing as the highest-ranked Sri Lankan athlete on the list and positioning herself closest to that elusive Olympic berth.
During the qualification period for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Lekamge set a national record with a personal best throw of 61.57 metres, winning the Silver Medal at the Asian Games in China last year. Notably, she also achieved a distance of 60.93 metres, securing the Asian Athletics Championship Bronze Medal in Bangkok the same year.
The cutoff date for Olympic qualification was 30 June, and athletes from around the world were competing fiercely in various International and National competitions. World Athletics was to finalize the qualification list after the 30th.
