By Panchamee HEWAVISSENTI

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After you have retired from sports, you are not much to be heard of. Will you make your presence in sports in any capacity in future?

Now I am totally out of sports and I scarcely find time to engage in any sporting activities due to the high responsibility of my family life.

I have a plan to come back to the athletic field as a coach one day. But not immediately. Since it requires hard work and a lot of practice and knowledge to be a coach, it cannot be done in a short period of time. Coaching is a responsible job and it is a science. It should be deeply studied. Since Sri lanka has less facilities to train someone as a coach I hope to go abroad to study it further.

That means Sri Lankans can have another hope for the ` Ampara Express’ to be back in the athletic field?

Yes. Since I have a vast spectrum of experience being in the athletic field for 16 years, I think it’s in vain if I do not impart that important knowledge to bring out more talented athletes to the country.There’s a huge possibility that I would make my come back as a coach in future.

Being a coach is not a lucrative career. According to my knowledge, most of the coaches are volunteers... So, do you have to give it a second thought?

I do agree with you. The career as an athletic coach is not lucrative and most of them are volunteering to do the job. They do not get a salary for coaching.They too have to look after their families and meet the familial requirements. I know that the path as a coach is not very hopeful. Even if I become a coach, there is a little possibility for me to become a professional coach.

One time you were the 100m and 200m undisputed sprint queen. Did Susanthika’s debut into 100m and 200m affect your decision to switch to 400m or you thought that you could score better timing?

I made the decision of switching from 100m and 200m to 400m on a suggestion made by a veteran in the athletic field after he had been observing my performance and ability carefully. He identified that I have a very good potential in winning 400m. I too had the feeling that I would do better in 400m and I never regret the decision I made because it produced a marked success on me.

Even while I was doing 100m and 200m I concerned more on 200m. When I was practising for 400m automatically my timing for 200m too had improved.

Did you find any shortcomings in your performance in 100m?

Yes. I was not very successful in the start. In a short distance running, the start is crucial. If the start fails, the total race turns out to be a failure. Though I had a vague start in 100, doubtlessly, 400m worked better on me.

You became champion in three successive Asian Games. You bagged gold medals in 200m and 400m at Asian Games in Bangkok in 1998, 400m Asian Championship in Japan,1998, 400m at Asian Championship in Jakarta,2000(Asian Championship record), 400m Asian Games in Korea,2002 (Asian Games record). Though you had the capability, you failed to go beyond that. What stood on your way to block those opportunities?

I went for the Sydney Olympics in 2000. Unfortunately, I was down with an injury and couldn’t take part in that event. If I were to make my presence at the event I could have made some considerable achievements. I repent on losing that opportunity. But, it is not advisable to cry over spilt milk. Besides, I’m very proud of myself so much as I have done my maximum at other times.In sports, luck doesn’t knock twice on your door. You should always be in the game and move with it. It requires dedication, great deal of perfect practice and confidence to gain victory in sports.

What are the moments in your athletic career which keep you in seventh heaven?

Bagging the first gold medal at South Asian Games still gives me a pleasant shock. It’s unforgettable and memorable. That is important to me due to various reasons. I scored my best timing there and that was the only game I took part in without being stressed.

If I ask you this... what’s your worst athletic memory that you don’t even like to recall?

There’s no such worst memory in my sports career. I was determined to achieve success. People around me had a good understanding on the sport and they rendered their fullest assistance to me and I was happy during my sports carer though there were very few negligible incidents, as those things for any one are unavoidable.

Your records are hitherto unbroken. Do you think that it’s due to lack of facilities for promising youngsters or Sri Lanka has utterly failed in finding the potential athletes?

In comparison to other countries, Sri Lanka has lesser facilities but it has a marvellous reserve of innate talents. Having faced all those problems, yet Sri Lankan athletes are able to have competitive edge over others.

I agree with the fact that Sri Lanka has failed in probing into potential athletes. The athletes should identify themselves that they have the capability. Many such talented sprinters are left unidentified due to that fact. Lack of facilities and support hinder them from emerging. I’m a good example of that nature. If my coach, Sunil Gunawardena were not to find the potential sprinter in me, my talents would have been left unidentified and I wouldn’t have come so far. I believe that if those talents are identified and they are provided with necessary facilities, my records would not be left unbroken.

There is a belief that your pregnancy made you retire prematurely?

By the time I retired, I was at the latter stage of my sports career and I had reached the peak.I had been in the sports career more than a decade and the best time for any one to engage in sport is from age of 22 to 26. When we are aging there’s a high possibility for injuries. At that point any sportsman should have discretion enough to make a decision to retire.During the final stages of my practice sessions, I began to feel that the time has come for me to retire.

Did you have the feeling that if you were to remain in the sports, you would hardly gain any victory? Don’t you think that there’s more time left for your retirement?

That’s not a matter of winning. I realised that at the latter stage, my timing was not so satisfactory. It would have served a little purpose, if I were to remain in the sport and not to be able to go beyond my best personal performance. Once a sports person achieves good standards, his or her aim is not merely to win the game but to keep a record.

How did your marriage affect the decision to retire prematurely?

Since I have showcased my peak performance, I thought it was alright for me to keep a fullstop to my sports career. My husband, Eranda too agreed with my decision and we both decided that this is the ideal time for us to complete and dedicate fully to our family life.

You have a daughter. Do you ever want her to become a good athlete like you?

I’m not on the strong view that my daughter should become an athlete merely because I did well in the field.If she has the potential, doubtlessly, I would make necessary arrangements for that and extend my support to her. I have a feeling that she would be good in sports because her body structure shows that potential.

Where are you working?

‘Motherhood-my pinnacle in life’

I am working at Unichela at Panadura. I joined Unichela seven years ago, when I was really in a need of a secure job. I got the job through my coach, Sunil Gunawardena.Unichela has a very friendly atmosphere and I must mention the immense support I received as a sports woman from the MD , Dian Gomes. He feels the pulse of sport. He created a unique sports culture in Sri Lanka.

Are you more responsible as a mother than you had been a sprinter those days?

Yes. Being a mother is more responsible than being a sportswoman. I spend a busy life trying hard to balance my family life with office work. I have to be at office by 7.30 a.m. and I leave home by 6.30 a.m.. I haven’t got a servant and my mother looks after my daughter and does the major part of household chores. My mother is of great assistance to me.As a mother of ten months old infant and as a wife I have to look into my husband’s requirements. When I’m at home I try my best to spend the whole day with my daughter and she enjoys being with me.

Motherhood, for any woman is a privilege. I am experiencing that at the moment and I’m perfectly contented with my life .And I feel I’m a very fortunate and successful woman in every aspect of my life.