Talented lifters Nadini and Dhammika held back by cash
by S. M. Jiffrey ABDEEN - Kandy Sports Corr.
WEIGHTLIFTING: It is going to be ecstasy and agony for two women
weightlifters Nadini Gunasekera and Dhammika Harischandra from the Kandy
YMCA who have been selected by the Sri Lanka Weightlifting Federation to
participate at the Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships to be held
in Malaysia from 18th to 23rd October as they are unable to find the
cost of the trip Rs. 87,480 each required for participation.
Both 'lifters' are highly talented and Sri Lanka has a fine chance of
winning a medal. They said that they have been trying hard but they are
unable to find the sum of Rs. 87,480 each required by the Federation to
cover up air fare, accommodation and the cost of doping test. Both are
national weightlifting champions in their respective class for many
years.
Nadini Gunasekera who is ranked tenth in the world, finished seventh
at the Commonwealth Game held in 2006. She has missed participating in
international meets abroad due to financial constraints. Her record is
that she has won the National Championship title for seven years on the
trot starting from 2002.
She has also been injudged the Best Lifter on many occasions.
It was only last week she won her class with record breaking effort
and was adjudged the Best lifter at the National Sports Festival.
Harischandra Dhammika, too, is a talented weightlifter, winning her
class at the National Championship for four-years-in-a-row. She has won
her class at an all Pakistan Railway Championship in 2006.Both girls
find it difficult to pay for themselves. They were too poor to bear the
travelling costs from their homes and Kandy YMCA generously offered them
employment so that they may continue their training.
Kandy YMCA, too, does not have the funds to help these women
weightlifters and in the event they do not find the sponsors, it is
going to be heart-breaking for these 'lifters' as they had been training
so hard for the past six months in preparation for this important
championship. |
