Tharushi has the potential to clock sub two minutes says Susantha Fernando

Susantha Fernando, the coach of Asian Games medallist Thrushi Karunaratne said that the latter has the potential to run her personal best when she competes in the heats of the women’s 800 metres at the Paris Olympics today.

“All our athletes struggled a bit to cope up with the conditions here during the first couple of days. But by her last training session she has got accustomed to conditions. Tharushi’s performances in the final training session were indicative of a personal best feat,” Fernando said speaking to ‘The Island’ from Paris after the final training session on Thursday on the eve of her Olympic debut.

It is welcome news for Sri Lanka’s athletics enthusiasts as the former Ratnayake Central Walala athlete has remained far behind her personal best this season.

She has an uphill task when she competes against some of the fastest athletes including Jamaica’s 2018 Commonwealth Games medallist Natoya Goule-Toppin in the sixth heat of the women’s 800 metres today.

Toppin, the 2019 Pan American Games Champion carries a seasonal best of 1:56.83 seconds and the strong field includes as many as six athletes who have run sub two minutes this season.

Athletes competing in heats will be vying to finish among the first three as only the top three from each heat advance to semi-finals. With the repechage round introduced at this Olympics the rest of the athletes will compete later again to secure the remaining semi-final spots.

Apart from Toppin, Kenya’s Lilian Odira (1:59.27secs), USA’s Allie Wilson (1:57.52 secs), Italy’s Elena Bello (1:58.89 secs), Sweeden’s Audrey  Werro (1:58.67secs), Australia’s Claudia Hollingsworth (1:58.40secs), Lituania’s Gabija Galvydyte (2:00.11 secs) and Karunaratne are the others lining up in heat six.

It is not only the race indication times produced  by Tharushi that have prompted Fernando to forecast the personal best. “Tharushi is a fighter and will not give up when it matters most,” said Fernando.

Tharushi has not come closer to her personal best time (2:00.66) she ran at the Asian Championship in Bangkok last year. On such a backdrop producing her personal best (the national record) will be a huge accomplishment.

It is not only the semi-final spots which are at stake as the qualifying period for next year’s World Athletics Championships which has now begun. The World Athletics has set a high qualifying standard for its flagship event for the women’s 800 metres. One minute and 59 seconds is the direct qualifying standard for the women’s 800 metres and that will be on the back of the athletes’ minds when they come under starters orders.