Sri Lanka's shooters give satisfying performance at South Asian Games

by Leslie Fernando

It was a creditable performance by Sri Lanka shooters at the 10th South Asian Games concluded recently. They won 18 medals. All winners are young and from village schools. It also satisfying to note that out of the 23 team members 22 members had a hand in the medals.

" The aim now team awards included is to concentrate on improving the sport and to win medals at the Asian Games to be held in Doha, Qatar in December this year," said Rear Admiral, Thisara Samarasinghe, President, National Rifle Association of Sri Lanka. The shooting event were held at Sri Lanka Navy Range at Welisara.

Navy firing range and South Asian Games shooting were organised by the National Rifle Association of Sri Lanka and Sri Lanka Navy came in for high praise from the 10th SAG shooting meet Technical International Delegate, A.J. Jalaluddain, International Sports Shooting Federation (ISSF) 'A' class judge from India and all managers of visiting teams added Samarasinghe.

The competition reached a high standard as India and Pakistan shooters were of world standards. The shooting events were hotly contested to achieve high standards in improving the sport at Asian and world level.

Sri Lanka Shooters' performances were praiseworthy as they won 2 gold medals, through Mangala Samarakoon of Sri Lanka Army in 50 m rifle prone men which is a new SAG record. Nilmini Illangaratne of Sri Lanka Navy was the other Gold medal winner in the 50 m rifle prone women.

Beside the 2 golds, the other contributions came from Ruvini Abeymanne, Swarnakanthi de Silva, Hemantha Wijesinghe (Bronze in women team even 10 m air pistol), Hemantha Wijesinghe, Damayanthi Wijeratne, Ruvini Abeymanne (silver in the 25 m pistol women team event), Damayanthi Wijeratne silver in 25 m pistol women individual, Hemantha Wijesinghe - bronze in the 25 m pistol women individual, Nilmini Illangarathne, Devika Ranasinghe, K.G. Pradeepika, silver in the women's 50 m rifle prone, Devika Ranasinghe, Nilmini Illangarathne, Pushpamali Ramanayake - bronze in the women's team event - 50 m rifle 3 position.

Devika Ranasinghe - a bronze in the individual 50 m rifle 3 positions women, E.M. Senanayake, N.A. Hemantha, Nelson Gunadasa - silver in the men's team event 10 m air pistol. G.M. Chandana, Manjula Fernando, Jayampathi Poddalgoda - bronze in the team event men 25 m standard pistol. Gamini Welgama, Suranga Fernando, E.M. Senanayake - bronze in the men's 25 m center fire pistol. G.M. Chandana, Manjula Fernando, Jayampathi Poddalgoda - bronze in men's team event 25 m rapid fire pistol.

E.M. Senanayake, Kumara Patha Gamage, Jayampathi Poddalgoda - silver in team event men's 50 m pistol. E.M. Senanayake - silver in the individual 50 m pistol men. Mangala Samarakoon, U.M. Premalal, Sarath Chandrasiri - silver in the men's 50 m rifle prone team event. Mangala Samarakoon, Upul Darmasiri, Athula Kottegoda - bronze in the men's team event 50 m rifle 3 positions. Mangala Samarakoon - bronze in the men's individual 50 m rifle 3 positions.

Sri Lanka shooters won 2 gold, 2 silver and 3 bronze in the individual events and 5 silver and 6 bronze in the team events-full total 18 medals, a better performance than the 9th SAF Games held in Pakistan.

In the 2004 Games, Sri Lanka won 4 silver and 8 bronze.

Rear Admiral Samarasinghe said that he expresses his sincere thanks and appreciation to President Mahinda Rajapaksa for the vision and the direction. In addition, he thanked the Minister of Sports, Secretaries of Defence and Sports, President NOC, Director of Sports, Secretary General NOC, Director of SAG, Chef de Mission and all officials in numerous organisations who contributed in many ways in making the new shooting range a reality and supporting the National Rifle Association and the National Rifle Shooting team.

The contribution made by the Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy Wasantha Karannagoda in providing the premises, funds and undertaking the construction along with assistance of Sri Lanka Navy officers and sailors is remembered with gratitude.