In sports too, Sri Lanka was not short of talent and when the first Asian Games -- The 1951 Asian Games -- was a multi-sport event celebrated in New Delhi, India from 4 to 11 March 1951 began; Sri Lanka had its own representation. 

Pole-Vaulter M.A. Akbar won the first Asian Medal for Sri Lanka with a Silver and up to 1978 the little islanders were regular performers in the medal tally. Then came the twelve year medal less break till in 1990 Golfer Nandasena Perera and short distance runner Sriyantha Dissanayake accounted for two silver and a bronze and this pattern continued with the inclusion of Susanthika Jayasinge, Damayathi Dharsha, Sugath Tillekeratne, Sriyani Kulawansa and a host of others.

Yet, thereafter the others in the Asian circuit – especially in the Chinese quarter in the ilk of China, Japan, South Korea changed gear and converted themselves into the real Olympic circuit while some of the others reaped medals working to their own strengths. Sri Lanka when won their last track and field medal in 2006 when they bagged a silver and three bronze. Yes, 2014 Sri Lanka were the recipients of a gold and a bronze, but that came via cricket from the men and the women respectively.

The medal less Lankan track and field yawn was rolled out in 2006. Now for the past 16 years no Lankan athlete has stepped to the Asian Games podium and that is too bad for a nation with special sporting talent like Susanthika Jayasinghe, Muttiah Muralitharan and Sanath Jayasuriya.     

Now comes the Asian games again which occurs every 4 years. Hangzhou the Chinese host city of 2022 Asian games was all set for the extravaganza, but postponed the games to September 2023 due to the pandemic conditions in China. One now prays that the pandemic is really over.

Athletics is the Sri Lanka’s most successful sport at the Asian Games which won 10 out of 11 gold medals, 6 out of 11 silver medals and 11 out of 24 bronze medals, from the total medal tally which Sri Lanka won for the last 72 years’ history of Asian games.

However, every edition of the Asiad brings a different level of competition. with 9 months to go for the 2023 edition it’s too early to make predictions, but this effort is to make a comparison between Sri Lanka’s best performance and Asia’s best performance for 2022 in each and every athletics events and find out our medal prospects for 2023 Asian games.

Yupun Abeykoon, 2022 commonwealth games medalist and the most successful Sri Lankan sprinter in the recent past is also the fastest man of Asia for the year 2022. The rivalry between China and Japan for the sprinting supremacy and the growing performance levels of South East Asian region will make a good competitive ground for Yupun and the men’s sprint double.

Gayanthika Aberathna is the only Sri Lankan athlete who has the Asia’s best two performances in 2022. Her 800m record breaking performances in February (2:01.44) and at the Commonwealth Games in August (2:01.20) has proven her consistency throughout the season. If she can continue her super form in 2023, Gayanthika would be the best medal hope of the 2023 Asian Games.

Sarangi Silva, the best ever female Long Jumper produced by Sri Lanka leaped 6.65m in February 2022 and ranked 2nd in Asia for the year 2022. If she can register a jump above 6.50 in the final, it would be a medal winning performance. 2018 Asian games Gold medal winning performance was 6.55m.

High Jump Sri Lanka record holder Ushan Thiwanka Perera (if he is taking part), Javelin Sri Lanka record holder Sumedha Ranasinghe and the 3000m steeplechase Sri Lanka record holder Nilani Rathnayaka have performed brilliantly well in 2022.

However, the world’s best athletes will compete with Ushan, Sumedha and Nilani in their respective disciplines. High Jump World Champion Mutaz Barshim, world silver medalist Woo and world finalist Tomohiro are Asian athletes, Javelin throw Olympic Champion Niraj Chopra and Commonwealth Games champion Arshad Nadeem are Asian athletes, 3000 m steeplechase world champion Norah Jeruto and world No.4 Winfred Yavi are Asian athletes, with these giants our champions must produce their very best to make a match with them.

2017 Javelin throw Asian Silver medalist Dilhani Lekamge and quarter miler Kalinga Kumarage are in their best form of lives in 2022 and also the men’s 4x400m relay team will get a chance to perform their best and win a medal at 2023 Asian Games.

However, A full season of Athletics ahead before the Asian Games 2023. So there is ample room for young talents to be blossom. Hope 2023 Hangzhou will be a memorable exercise at Asian Games for Sri Lanka out of all 19 editions.

- By Madhawa Senarath