South Asian Games: Gold beckons Chinthana at South Asian Games

by Leslie Fernando

Weightlifting is an individual sport and the 'lifters' can train by themselves, but the main problem has been shortage of necessary instruments for their training, said R. B. Wickremasinghe, National Weightlifting coach.

Except for Chinthana Vidanage who won a Gold Medal at the 18th Commonwealth Games in March this year, other nine 'lifters' are training at two venues, Weightlifting Centre at Reid Avenue under M. N. Athukorale a silver medallist in the 1st SAF Games in Nepal and at Kandy YMCA under Athula Wijewickrema, a bronze medallist at 1989 SAF Games in Pakistan.

The Weightlifting events of the 10th South Asian Games will be held at Colombo Campus from August 19 to 22. The games proper will be from August 18 to 28. The venue is to be developed upto international standards. The work is in progress and is expected to be completed shortly. Wickremasinghe said that 16 weightlifters were in the first pool and it was pruned down to ten with two reserves. The weight training centre at Polonnaruwa., the home town of gold medallist Chinthana Vidanage was closed down due to shortage of equipment.

Although some members of that centre go to Kandy for their training, they were faced with numerous problems. For Chinthana it was lucky as he was awarded a scholarship to Australia to further his studies and continue training in Melbourne. According to reports reaching from 'down under' Chinthana is following a systematic training schedule.

Four members of the Polonnaruwa centre have shown promise to go beyond bronze medals. The instructors and the participants request to provide instruments to be used by the 'lifters' should receive attention from the authorities.

Wickremasinghe added that Sri Lanka clinched a first ever gold medal at a Commonwealth Games at the Exhibition Centre in Melbourne on 4 March 2006 through Chinthana in the 62 Kg. He also won a gold at the 9th SAF Games held in Islamabad, Pakistan in 2004. In the 2002 Commonwealth Games, he was placed fourth. He is expected to display his prowess in Colombo next month.

The South Asian Games Organising Committee together with the NOC has promised to get down ALEICO Brand weightlifting sets from Sweden on the orders of the sports Ministry, said Wickremasinghe. The lifting sets are expected shortly.

The 'lifters' are provided with the nutrition rations and vitamins through the Sports Ministry Medical Unit.

At the 2004 South Asian Games held in Islamabad, Pakistan in 2004, Sri Lanka won a gold, one silver and four bronze medals in weightlifting. India came on top winning 4 gold, 4 silver and 2 bronze. Pakistan second with 3 gold, 3 silver and 2 bronze. Sri Lanka were placed third.

Weerasinghe said that weightlifters will aim at the top spot with regular systemic training under their own coaches and with my guidance. The weightlifting Association of Sri Lanka is planning to get down all 'lifters' to Colombo soon for residential training. They can train with the new weightlifting sets from Sweden and get accustomed to the instruments.

Weightlifters for South Asian Games - M. G. Emil (SL Army) 56 Kgs, Chinthaka Vidanage (Polonnaruwa WC) 62 Kgs, K. A. S. Peiris (SL Air Force) 69 Kgs, P. Dayan (Kandy YMCA) 77 Kgs, T. M. U. Jayathilaka (SL Army) 85 Kgs, P. S. Wijeratne (Kandy YMCA) 94 Kgs, Ransilu Jayathilaka (Kandy YMCA) 105 Kgs, M. M. Irshad (Sri Lanka Navy) 105 Kgs and over. Stand Byes - D. I. Nicholas (Torrington WC) 77 Kgs and T. A. T. Ranjith Kumara (Slimline SC) 105 Kgs.