South Asian Games - Review

Sri Lanka posed a big challenge to India’s regional athletic supremacy during the 9th South Asian Games which concluded at the Jinnah Stadium with a spectacular closing ceremony here yesterday (7 April 2004).

A total of 32 gold medals were on offer during the five-day athletic programme at the Games (2 to 6 April). India won 15 of the 32 finals, while Sri Lanka took 12 wins, and the hosts Pakistan, five.

Injured Jayasinghe upstaged by Kumara's triple

It was Olympic medallist Susanthika Jayasinghe (SRI) who came into the eight-nation Games with the hope of winning a record four gold medals. But in the end it was her male team mate and athletic captain Rohan Pradeep Kumara (SRI) who provided the shocks with a gold medal triple.

A former sailor in the Sri Lankan Navy, Kumara tried a new event  the men’s 200m, as well as his pet discipline of the 400m. He was successful in both and even registered a career best 20.99 while striking gold in shorter sprint. His third gold came when he anchored Sri Lanka team to a win in the men’s 4 x 400m Relay.

Indian sprinter Piyush Kumar emerged as the fastest man of the 9th Asian Games but his way to the top was not untroubled especially as Sri Lanka’s Chammika Ramanayake and Umayanga Surendra respectively won the two men’s 100m semi-final heats.

But the Indian lad was not discouraged. He kept his cool in the mind game of the men’s 100m final which saw the Indian win the gold in style. Kumar also came third in the men’s 200m, while he had a second gold by playing a key role towards India’s success in the men’s 4 x 100m final.

Silva is a more than adequate replacement

Jayasinghe surprisingly pulled-out of the women’s 100m, having won the 200m gold two days before. Her left hamstring injury seems to be affecting her career too often, as she had suffered a similar fate at the last Asian Games in Busan 2002.

However, Sri Lanka proved they are not short of sprinters to maintain their short distance supremacy in the region. Jani Chathurangani Silva (SRI), an emerging athlete from Sri Lanka’s four-year junior development plan, made up for the absence of her older team-mate. She not only won women’s 100m gold but also made sure their 4 x 100m relay team won. Thus, Silva won two gold medals for Sri Lanka.

India - supreme infield

India underlined their supremacy in the field events, winning nine out of 13 field finals. Of the eight men’s field events, India won five while Sri Lanka, Nepal and Pakistan had a gold each. Out of five women’s field event finals, India won four while Sri Lanka’s Anne Maheshi Silva won the other, the Javelin throw.

In the men’s High Jump, Manjula Kuamra Wijesekera (SRI) cleared 2.20m to set new South Asian Games record. It was only a couple of years back that he emerged from Sri Lanka’s junior squad, finishing ninth at the IAAF World Junior Championships in Jamaica.

Kulawansa's longevity 

Another notable feat came from veteran woman hurdler Sriyani Kulawansa (SRI). Of the Sri Lankan gold medallists at the 5th South Asian Games in Colombo, 1991, Kulawansa is the only surviving member and she did that in style by winning the very same 100m Hurdles event for a gold. Her efforts in remaining in the international arena for nearly two decades, and winning another South Asian Games gold medal 13 years after her first success is commendable.

The 9th South Asian Games provided an ideal opportunity to budding athletes in the region to test their skills with their neighbouring countries. South Asian Games has always been a 'stepping stone' event and those who shared top honours can now look to a bigger international future, especially the next edition of the Asian Games due in Doha, 2006.

India headed the final athletic medal standing with 15 gold medals, 12 silver and 14 bronze. Second-placed Sri Lanka won a total of 12 gold medals, nine silver and three bronze medals. Hosts Pakistan finished third with five gold medals, eight silver and 12 bronze.

The 10th South Asian Games are due to held in Colombo in 2005.

Dinesh Weerawansa for the IAAF

Athletic Gold medallists at the 9th South Asian Games:

Men:

100m: Piyush Kumar (IND) 10.44
200m: Rohan Pradeep Kumara (SRI) 20.99
400m: Rohan Pradeep Kumara (SRI) 45.89
800m: Mohammed Sifrath (SRI) 1:51.60 
1500m: Atta Miran (PAK) 3:43.40
3000m Steeplechase: Upendra Bandara (SRI) 8:57.04 
5000m: Naushad Khan (Pakistan) 14:39.47
Marathon: Anuradha I. Cooray (SRI)  2:16.38 
110m hurdles: Abdul Rashid (PAK) 14.33
400m hurdles: Allad Ditta (PAK) 51.15 
4 x 100m: India 39.91
4 x 400m: Sri Lanka 3:05.80 
Long jump: Mohan Singh (IND) 7.70
High jump:  Manjula Kumara Wijesekera (SRI) 2.20
Triple Jump:  Anaejeet Singh (IND) 16.16
Shot Put: Ranvijay Singh (IND) 17.41
Hammer throw:  Nadeen Ahamed (PAK) 62.88
Discus throw: Hirdayand Singh (IND) 53.77
Javelin Throw: K. Lijesh (IND) 75.71

Women:

100m: Jani Chathurangani Silva (SRI) 11.81
200m:  Susanthika Jayasinghe (SRI) 23.49
400m:  S. Geetha (IND) 52.25
800m: Madhuri Singh (IND) 2:07.61 
1500m: Madhuri Singh (IND) 4: 31.16 
100m hurdles: Sriyani Kulawansa (SRI) 13.37
4 x 100m: Sri Lanka 46.13
4 x 400m: India 3:33.49
High jump: Sangeetha Mohan (IND) 1.81
Discus throw: Sameena Antil (IND) 57.03
Long jump: Jetty Joseph (India) 6.30
Javelin throw: Anne Maheshi Silva (Sri Lanka) 51.37
Shot Put: Latha Nicholas (India) 15.36