Dreaming Of Tokyo: Team SL Gears Up For The Olympics

Nine athletes, nine dreams, a lifetime in the making. This may sound like a cliched hyperbole, but for Team Sri Lanka, and indeed their contemporaries the world over, the reality is likely far more surreal.

For an athlete there is no greater feeling than representing your nation, and the Olympics embodies the pinnacle of that achievement. An event that allows you to showcase your talents to the world, and one where success is more than just about winning.

Indeed, many of us may never truly understand the sacrifice, desire, will power, and sheer unbridled determination that goes into becoming a professional athlete; suffice to say, being good enough to compete at the Olympics is an achievement in and of itself – something that was given an added twist this past year.

This unprecedented pandemic has put forth barriers that these athletes could scarcely have imagined – athletes after all are creatures of habit, of routine, the very things the pandemic has put paid to – yet they’ve defied all the odds. This has by no means been an easy road.

Some like swimmers Matthew Abeyesinghe and Aniqah Gafoor have had to qualify through wildcards; both were unable to train and compete because of the pandemic, but thanks to the intervention of the NOC Sri Lanka on their behalf, and their achievements in years past, the IOC granted both wildcard entries. 

Either not competing in the Olympics would have been a travesty, considering the esteem in which both are held. Abeyesinghe is already one of the most accomplished athletes in the country, and is the only Sri Lankan swimmer to achieve an Olympic qualification standard. Gafoor, meanwhile, at the tender age of 17, already boasts the national record in the 50m and 100m Butterfly.

Gafoor is in fact one of five female athletes representing Sri Lanka at Tokyo 2020. Of the others, Equestrian Mathilda Karlsson was the first Sri Lankan to qualify for this year’s Olympics, with all of Sri Lanka no doubt brushing up on their Equestrian Show Jumping knowledge.

Artistic Gymnast Milka Gehani meanwhile was awarded one of the two available Asian continental berths to the Olympic Games due to the cancellation of the 2021 Asian Championships, as she was the highest ranked eligible athlete based on the results of the 2019 World Championships.

Both Karlsson and Gehani are also the first Sri Lankans to represent Sri Lanka in their respective fields.

Rounding out the female representation are the eagle-eyed Tehani Egodawela, who will be taking part in the Women’s 10m Air Rifle Shooting event, and middle distance runner Nimali Liyanarachchi who will be taking part in the Women’s 800m event.

On the men’s side, aside from Abeyesinghe, there is veteran Badminton champion Niluka Karunaratne, who will be taking part in his third Olympics; South Asia’s fastest man and top 50 in the world-ranked sprinter Yupun Abeykoon; and national Judo champion Chamara Nuwan Dharmawardana, who will be competing in his second Olympics.

Dharmawardana, along with Gehani, will also be given the honour of being Sri Lanka’s flag bearers during the Olympics opening ceremony.

While this is not the largest contingent Sri Lanka has ever sent to the Olympics, it is among the most accomplished. The NOC Sri Lanka, too, has done its part in looking to ensure the best the country has to offer are able to compete, despite the numerous challenges these athletes have faced over their careers.

And they will be backed throughout the tournament of course by a host of sponsors, namely Presenting Partners – Brandix and Hirdaramani; Associated Partners – MAS Holdings and Sunshine Holdings; Official Broadcasting Partners – Rupavahini and Channel Eye; and Activity Partners – Eventistry (Official Marketing Partner), Daraz (Official Digital Partner), Cinnamon Life (Official Hospitality Partner), LOVI (Official Lifestyle Partner), Swarnavahini Media Group (Official Electronic Media Partner), Richardson (Official Outdoor Media Partner), and PG Martin (Official Accessories Provider).