• Rules o ut adverse impact on his Olympic hope

The medical report pertaining to a hamstring injury suffered by Sri Lanka’s most prized possession on the track, Yupun Abeykoon, is to be received today (5), said Sri Lanka Athletics (SLA) Secretary Saman Kumara Gunawardana.

This was after Abeykoon’s gold-medal winning effort in the 100 m event at the Diamond League (B Series) Meet in Stockholm, Sweden.

However, he was optimistic that the injury suffered by South Asia’s fastest man and the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games Bronze Medalist eight weeks out from the Olympics will not have an adverse effect on his chances of qualifying for the Parisian showpiece.

“From all accounts he (Abeykoon) has suffered a hamstring injury,” the SLA Secretary said. “His medical report is expected today and it is believed that he will recover from it within the next fortnight.”

Gunawardana added that SLA was hopeful that the Italy-based, 29-year-old ace sprinter will return to Colombo in time to compete at the 102nd National Athletics Championships.

During the meet in Sweden, Abeykoon had powered his way to win the race with a time of 10.22 seconds (s), but he had again struggled to breach the Olympic Qualifying Standard time of 10.00 s.

The country’s national record-holder in the 100 m had competed in four international events in April/May, and in the process had returned a season’s best time of 10.15 s at the Anhalt Athletic Meet in Dessau, Germany.

According to the SLA Secretary, they are hopeful that all elite Sri Lankan athletes aspiring to realise their 2024 Olympic dream will participate at the annual National Athletics Championships, enabling them to improve their current timings and amass points.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and World Athletics (WA) have set 30 June as the deadline for qualification events in athletics ahead of the Summer Games this July.

(JK)