Ethir to support Sri Lanka athletes 

[November 14 2010]

<pr>Sri Lanka’s first ever Asian Games gold medallist Nagalingam Ethirveerasingam is in Guangzhou to assist the Sri Lanka athletic team which s making their final preparations for the 16th Asian Games track and field competition which is due to start later this week.
<pr>Better known in athletic circles as ‘Ethir’, the former ace Sri Lanka athlete based in Califronia, United States, has volunteered to help SrLanka team on an invitation by the National Olympic Committee (NOC) of Sri Lanka
<pr>“It was the NOC President Hemasiri Fernando who was instrumental in getting down Ethir and he is assisting team in a big way,” Chef-de-Mission of the Sri Lanka team told the Observer Online in Guangzhou, China today. Pinnawale added that in recognition of his services, NOC has nominated Ethir to the OCA Board and Parade as Sri Lanka’s representative.
<pr>Ethiveerasingam who won Sri Lanka’s first Asian Games gold medal in Jakarta, 1959 in men’s high jump, has shown a keen interest in helping Sri Lanka’s emerging athletes. He was instrumental in securing a scholarship to Asian Championship gold medallist Manjula Kumara Wijesekera at the University of Southern California. High jumper Wijesekera is here making his preparations under the watchful eyes of Ethirveerasingam.