• Men’s 400 m National Champion Aruna Darshana records personal best in Osaka 

Aruna Darshana, the reigning 400 m National Champion, extended his personal best by clocking 45.49 seconds at the recent Kinami Memorial Athletics Championship in Osaka, Japan. 

Accordingly, he has obtained 1,131 bonus points in the Budapest World Championship qualification quota and is currently in 45th place (quota – 48). 

The Sunday Morning Sports sat down for an interview with the rising star on his training and his career so far. 

Following are excerpts:

What are you up to these days? 

I am engaged in training these days. Two major tournaments are coming up and I’m working hard to improve my timing. 

You recorded good timings recently. How do you feel about your achievements?

Yes, these are indeed joyful events. My coach Madhava Bandara should be mentioned first. He worked very hard to secure these tournaments for me. This is the first time in my life that I have recorded two good timings within the span of two days in a short tournament of five days. I believe it will be a significant turning point for me.

How was your experience in Japan? 

Japan is not an unfamiliar place for me. In 2018, I won Junior Asian Championship medals in Japan. It was an opportunity to leave Sri Lanka and compete with talented players around the world. Their running strips are really good, as is the timing of the race. Alongside this, the influence of tough opponents in foreign tournaments is also very important to record good timings.

Are you focusing on the 200 m event? 

I am not that hopeful of running in the 200 m event this year. However, if I get a chance in the Asian Championship, I will run in that event as well. 

In every race where you recorded good timings, you ran faster in the last 100 m. This is unusual – is that one of your strategies?

It’s a practice trick and an experiment that is happening these days. That is why there are hopes to improve the timing. I hope for the best. 

The Asian Championship is just around the corner. How are the preparations going?

The Asian Championship is the main goal at present. I will work hard for it, because it is one of the few opportunities to qualify for the Budapest  World Championship. If I record a good time at the Asian Championship, I will have an advantage. I want to run in a world championship since it is a rare opportunity in an athlete’s  life.  

What shortcomings do you face at present?

I don’t have a personal sponsor at the moment. This is not about money, but it would be of great help if I had a sponsor to buy the sports equipment needed for my training, such as spikes, shorts, and shoes. In athletics, a lot of money is spent on shoes. In addition to the salaries and allowances we receive, if we have such personal sponsorship, it would be a source of great strength.

Outstanding athletes in major competitions receive training abroad. If my coach Asanka Rajakaruna or I were to receive such training, I would be able to achieve greater heights in this event. It is unfair of me to ask for foreign training without showing my skills, so I think I recorded a good time when I was there. I will also work hard to reduce my time in the future. In the meantime, if I receive foreign training, it would be a good investment.

Are you interested in taking part in a European tournament? 

Every runner has a desire to compete around the world. I am also discussing these things with my coach; he told me that he would do his best to support me to compete in such a tournament. 

We have difficulties in participating in European tournaments through our competitions and with the country’s geographic location as well as with the tournament calendar. While this fact must be accepted, it would be a great life experience if you get even one such tournament.

Do you have any expectations about the coach and training abroad?

Yes. Like I said earlier, I have passion and hope. Let’s see what happens in the future.

Could you tell us about your family?

I have my mother and my brother. These days, my mother is a little unwell. With my busy training schedule, I’m unable to look into matters at home, but whenever I get a chance, I go to my hometown in Seruwila. 

What are your hopes for the future?

The Asian Games is my biggest hope for this year. One of my big goals is to win the Asian Championship. Other goals include working hard to qualify for the World Championship. I dedicate myself day and night to those hopes. The greater the commitment, the more satisfying the result.