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Javelin ace Tharanga begins quest for historic Gold Medal

Sri Lanka’s javelin superstar Rumesh Tharanga will start his campaign for an elusive Asian Games medal with the Qualification Group ‘A’ and Group ‘B’ segment events on September 26 at the Nagoya City Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.

The world’s number one will take the field along with his fellow countryman Sumeda Ranasinghe with the Men’s final scheduled for September 28.

“I will definitely be competing at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games and also at the 2032 Brisbane Olympic Games. My idea is to call it a day after the 2036 Olympic Games in India,” Tharanga said before his departure to Japan.

“Actually, my biggest goal is to overcome Arshad Nadeem’s world record of 92.97 metres at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games. I believe I could throw an average distance of over 90m by 2028,” Tharanga said

However, the Sri Lanka 4X400m Mixed Relay Team will be the first athletes in action at the Asian Games with the heats scheduled for September 24 and the final on the same day.

Sri Lanka’s promising athlete Madushani Herath will be vying for honours in the Women’s triple jump final on the same day.

Two middle distance runners, Kalinga Kumarage and Kalhara Indupa will battle it out in the Men’s 400m round one heats and semi-finals on September 25 with the final on the final day.

Sri Lanka’s Madushani Herath will begin her campaign for the Women’s long jump with the Qualification Group ‘A’ and Group ‘B’ segment on September 26.

Key points

(September 24): 4X400m Mixed Relay – heats, Women’s triple jump final – Madushani Herath, 4X400m Mixed Relay final.

(September 25): Men’s 400m round one heats – Kalinga Kumarage and Kalhara Indupa, Men’s 400m semi-finals – Kalinga Kumarage and Kalhara Indupa.

(September 26): Men’s javelin throw – Qualification Group ‘A’ and Group ‘B’ – Rumesh Tharanga and Sumeda Ranasinghe, Women’s long jump – Qualification Group ‘A’ and Group ‘B’ – Madushani Herath, Men’s 110m hurdles – round one heats – Roshan Dhammika, Men’s 400m final – Kalinga Kumarage and Kalhara Indupa.

(September 27): Men’s 110m hurdles final – Roshan Dhammika, Men’s 800m round one heats – Harsha Karunaratne, Women’s javelin throw final – Nadeesha Lekamge, Men’s 4X100m Relay.

(September 28): Men’s 400m hurdles final – Ayomal Akalanka, Men’s long jump final – Gayan Sampath, Women’s 800m round one heats – Takshima Nuhansa, Men’s javelin throw final – Rumesh Tharanga and Sumeda Ranasinghe, Men’s 4X400m Relay – round one heats.

(September 29): Women’s 800m final – Takshima Nuhansa, Men’s 800m final – Harsha Karunaratne, Women’s 4X400m Relay final, Men’s 4X400m Relay final.