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| Sunday, 19 December 2004 |
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Straight talk Mystery surrounds Susanthika's silence by Lal Gunesekera In this the "end of the road" for Sri Lanka's ace sprinter, the controversial Susanthika Jayasinghe? She failed to compete at the Olympic Games in Athens, Greece in August this year, citing "injury", but went on a "joy ride" as captain of the country's contingent. Since then she has not been running and most surprisingly keeping her "gab" shut - probably for the first time in her career. To keep quiet for more than five months is a pretty long time for a person like Jayasinghe. This saw tongues wagging. Where was she? What is she doing? Has she hung up her spikes? Now, Jayasinghe, has spoken. This 29-year-old bronze medallist at the 2000 Sydney Olympics is reported to be yet under treatment for a shin bone injury which takes about a year to heal under normal circumstances. This she says is the reason why she has not been "running". However, Jayasinghe, says that she has still about four years of competitive athletics ahead of her, and is eyeing a medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. What about the South Asian Game in August next year (2005) to be staged in Sri Lanka? Will Jayasinghe be "cleared" to run by her doctors? This is the big question even the Sri Lanka Athletic Association (SLAA) cannot answer. President not satisfied On the topic of the South Asian Games to be staged in Sri Lanka next year, President Chandrika Kumaratunga has commented that she is not satisfied with the "workings' of the many sub committees and wanted changes made and also sell the TV rights for the Games in August to raise the shortfall of the expenses involved. The cost is estimated at Rs. 500 million of which the government has pumped in Rs. 300 million, while the balance (Rs 200 million) is to be found from the private sector through sponsorships etc. Over 1500 competitors and officials from eight countries in the region (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives, even Afghanistan and hosts Sri Lanka) are down to compete. Nineteen disciplines, surpassing the number in the previous nine Games, will be worked off which includes four new disciplines in Archery, Cycling, Judo and Wushu, apart from Athletics, Badminton, Boxing, Soccer, Kabaddi, Karate, Rowing, Shooting, Squash, Swimming, Table Tennis, Taekwondo, Volleyball, Weightlifting and Wrestling. Monies have been passed in the recent Budget of the UPFA government and training etc will commence shortly. Even certain stadiums etc are to be upgraded well in time, which includes the swimming pool at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium. An official of the South Asian Games Secretariat said that although the Sri Lanka Aquatic Sports Union (SLASU) have threatened even to the extent of withdrawing from the Games, that the SLASU should have no fears. everything connected with the pool "will be done" soon to the satisfaction of SLASU. The Secretariat headed by Elmo Perera (formerly of the Air Force), which also includes Elmore Rodrigo and Hemajith Fernando, all well-known sports personalities, are now in top gear, and I am certain that every citizen of this country will throw in their might to make the 10th South Asian Games in Sri Lanka a tremendous success. Even the opening and closing ceremonies which are expected to be in charge of Sunil Jayaweera, is to be far better than the 1991 Games which was also held in Sri Lanka and over 1000 persons will take part in these displays depicting on the country's cultural heritage. A long felt need of the athletic authorities too have been met with the arrival of Norbert Mohner, a professional physiotherapist from the Netherlands with a decade of experience in that country and Germany too. He has already arrived, though he is to assume official duties from January 1 next year (2005). The head of the Sports Medicine Unit of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Dr. Geethanjan Mendis, has already conducted a seminar and warned all athletes and responsible officials to abstain from taking any medicine other than those prescribed by the SMU. All medical requirements will be closely monitored and personal records of all athletes will be maintained by the SMU. A handbook on doping too is to be published soon and distributed free of charge. It will contain detailed information on anti-doping techniques, prevention of doping, nutrition, first-aid and other valuable information. Netball headquarters robbed The Netball Headquarters at the Old Race Course was robbed of property valued at nearly Rs. 150,000, which includes a TV, three or four fans, computer, fax machine, phones, electrical switches etc. This office complex was closed for about two years. After Mrs. Shiranthi Rajapakse (wife of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse) was elected as President of the netball body, some officials had gone to open the office on December 5 and discovered these items missing. A complaint has been lodged at the Cinnamon Gardens Police Station and also with the Director-General of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Milton Amarasinghe, who had requested the netball authorities to send a report. Keep it up "Nug" The Nuwara-Eliya Golf Club (NEGC) under its President N.U.G. de Silva, a former Trinitian, has started a new project with the publication of a newsletter with the assistance of Sri Lanka Insurance. It contains a brief history of this club, and also discloses a masterplan which has been drawn up to renovate and upgrade its facilities. The NEGC in recent times has produced the reigning national amateur champion K. Prabhakaran and top juniors in the calibre of the Kumar brothers, Dinesh and Vinod. Reign ends The seven-year reign of Chandrika de Silva in badminton has ended. Young Thilini Jayasinghe of Sampath Bank deterred the champion last week at the National Championship. Well done Thilini! I hope that young Jayasinghe will continue with her success and bring laurels to the country at the South Asian Games and also in the region in the years to come. |
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