Sri Lanka Paralympics contingent on ‘Road to Tokyo’

Sri Lanka’s premier connectivity provider, Dialog Axiata PLC, powers a nine-member strong contingent led by javelin star, Dinesh Priyantha Herath, leaving Sri Lankan shores for the 2020 Paralympic Games to be held in Tokyo, Japan.

At the London games in 2012, Paralympian, Pradeep Sanjaya secured a bronze medal in the 400m T46 category with a timing of 49.28 seconds to secure Sri Lanka's first podium finish at the Paralympics. At the 2016 Rio games, Paralympian Dinesh Priyantha Herath secured a bronze in the men’s javelin throw and also bagged a silver in 2019 at the World Para Athletics Championships in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

The flagbearer for the nine-member ‘Road to Tokyo’ team, Dinesh Priyantha Herath will compete in the F46 javelin, whilst Samitha Dulan and Sampath Hettiarachchi will take part in F44 and F64 javelin. Palitha Bandara will line up in F42 shot put and Maduranga Subasinghe will compete in the T47 400m. Kumudu Priyanka will take part in T45/46 100m, long jump and Ranjan Darmasena will be serving for the country in wheelchair tennis, whilst Sampath Bandara and Mahash Jayakody will aim for medals in archery and rowing.

The Sri Lankan Paralympic contingent to Tokyo is powered by Dialog Axiata, Sri Lanka’s premier connectivity provider, who is a long- standing partner of para sports in the country.

Dialog is the proud sponsor of the National Paralympics Committee and the Sri Lanka Army Para Games Committee since 2015, and first sponsored the Sri Lanka Paralympic contingent in the year 2000, followed by 2004, 2008 and 2012, including the sponsorship of the National Para Sports Festival.

Maj. Gen. J.R. Ampemohotti, the Chef de Mission of the Sri Lanka contingent said, “Sri Lankan Paralympians have performed admirably by winning consecutive medals during the last two games in London and Rio. Despite restrictions to training due to the COVID-19 pandemic the team has worked hard to do what it takes to climb the podium and hence we are confident on securing more metal in Tokyo.”

“As a company that has deep roots in Sri Lanka’s national sports, we are proud to have come forward to continue our decade old partnership with the National Paralympics Committee. Our Paralympians in the recent past have shown that Sri Lankan athletes can perform at the highest level in world sports. I wish them all the success for a podium finish at the 2020 Tokyo Games,” said Harsha Samaranayake, the Senior General Manager – Brand and Media, Group Marketing, Dialog Axiata PLC.