Sriyani Kulawansa

Last updated
Sriyani Kulawansa
Medal record
Women's athletics
Representing Flag of Sri Lanka.svg  Sri Lanka
Asian Championships
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1995 Jakarta 100 m hurdles
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 1993 Manila 100 m hurdles
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2002 Colombo 100 m hurdles
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 1998 Fukuoka 100 m hurdles

Mohotti Arachchilage Sriyani Kulawansha-Fonsekca (born 1 March 1970) is a retired Sri Lankan hurdler. Her personal best time was 12.91 seconds, achieved in the quarter-finals of the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta.

Contents

She represented Sri Lanka in the 1992 Olympic Games held in Spain at the young age of 22. The 1996 Olympic Games held in US saw her advancing to the quarter finals of the 100m Hurdles event as she registered her personal best timing of 12.91 sec. Her final Olympic Games were the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

She was very consistent in the Asian Championships and her best year was 1998, where she won Silver in the Commonwealth Games and Bronze in the Asian Games. From 1989 to 2004 she has participated in over 70 International Games, and still holds the record in the South Asian Games for the hurdles event.

Early life

Sriyani Kulawansha describes her childhood as being the "vehicle of our house" as she used to run to buy groceries from her home located on a hill. It is there she realized her "energy and love" for sports.

She received her primary school education from Udakendawala Primary School and entered Ibbagamuwa Central College after passing the grade 5 scholarship exam. There she took part in all the four games for girls Athletics, Elle (a game like baseball), Netball and Volleyball and won the all island championship in all of them. And she won the best sportswoman award in 1989 for Athletics, Volleyball and Netball. She had to give up Netball and volleyball to focus on Athletics when she came to the national level.

She grew up in Melsiripura, a remote area in Sri Lanka's Kurunegala District. [1]

Professional career

While she was in 1989 South Asian Games practice squad she learned that high jump event has been cancelled due to lack of participants. But she credits her parents and coach Dervin Perera for motivating her to change to hurdles event.

She describes her biggest career achievement as winning the Silver Medals in the 1998 Commonwealth Games.

Sriyani retired from sports at the age of 34 even after getting selected to the 2004 Olympics. She says the decision was made because she knew that she had little chance to win and to give the opportunity to another athlete.

After retirement she was invited to work as a project officer at the Education Ministry to provide services to students. [2]

Competition record

YearCompetitionVenuePositionEventNotes
Representing Flag of Sri Lanka.svg  Sri Lanka
1992 Olympic Games Barcelona, Spain 28th (h)100 m hurdles 13.55
1993 World Championships Stuttgart, Germany 36th (h)100 m hurdles 13.58
Asian Championships Manila, Philippines 2nd100 m hurdles13.38
1994 Asian Games Hiroshima, Japan 4th100 m hurdles13.55
1995 World Championships Gothenburg, Sweden 26th (h)100 m hurdles 13.45
Asian Championships Jakarta, Indonesia 1st100 m hurdles13.29
1996 Olympic Games Atlanta, United States 15th (qf)100 m hurdles 12.91
1997 World Championships Athens, Greece 16th (h)100 m hurdles 13.07
1998 Asian Championships Fukuoka, Japan 3rd100 m hurdles13.16
Commonwealth Games Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 2nd100 m hurdles 12.95
Asian Games Bangkok, Thailand 3rd100 m hurdles 13.08
6th4 × 100 m relay 44.94
1999 World Championships Seville, Spain 15th (sf)100 m hurdles 12.98
2000 Olympic Games Sydney, Australia 18th (qf)100 m hurdles 13.19
2001 World Championships Edmonton, Canada 21st (h)100 m hurdles 13.23
2002 Commonwealth Games Manchester, United Kingdom 9th (h)100 m hurdles 13.29
6th (f)4 × 100 m relay 44.25
Asian Championships Colombo, Sri Lanka 9th (h)100 m 12.13
2nd100 m hurdles 13.43
Asian Games Busan, South Korea 100 m hurdles DNS
2003 Asian Championships Manila, Philippines 4th100 m hurdles 13.42
2004 South Asian Games Islamabad, Pakistan 1st100 m hurdles13.37
1st4 × 100 m relay46.13

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kelly Sotherton</span> British heptathlete (born 1976)

Kelly Jade Sotherton is a British former heptathlete, long jumper and relay runner. In the heptathlon she was the bronze medallist at the 2004 Summer Olympics and, following the disqualification of two other athletes, also at the 2008 Summer Olympics, as well as being part of the bronze medal-winning team in the Women's 4x400m relay at the 2008 Summer Olympics. As such she is one of only five women to win multiple medals in Olympic heptathlon. She also won a bronze at the 2007 World Championships in Athletics. Representing England, Sotherton is a one-time Commonwealth Games champion, as the heptathlon gold medallist at the 2006 Commonwealth Games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Duncan White</span> Ceylonese athlete

Major Deshamanya Duncan M. White MBE, ED was a Sri Lankan sportsman. He was the first Ceylonese athlete to win an Olympic medal, winning silver in the 400-metre hurdles at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London, England. He was also the second South Asian to have won an Olympic medal in track and field after Norman Pritchard of India, with the third being Susanthika Jayasinghe, another Sri Lankan, who won a silver medal in the 200 metres in 2000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sport in Brunei</span>

Sport in Brunei covers the variety of sports that are played, from amateur to professional levels, across the sultanate of Brunei Darussalam, in addition to individuals and teams who are sent to compete in tournaments both home and abroad. Association football is the most popular sport played in Brunei. Several sports, along with leisure activities are also partaken in Brunei; from badminton and swimming to horseback riding, mountain biking, and paintball.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jessica Zelinka</span> Canadian athlete

Jessica Zelinka is a Canadian pentathlete, heptathlete, and 100 m hurdler. Her personal best score is 6599 points for the heptathlon. She was the gold medalist at the 2007 Pan American Games. Zelinka won silver at the 2010 Commonwealth Games and repeated her silver medal at the 2014 Commonwealth Games. At the 2012 Summer Olympics Zelinka finished in 6th overall in the heptathlon and 7th in the 100 m hurdles.

Deshabandu Kobala Vithanage Damayanthi Dharsha-Kobalavithanage is a retired Sri Lankan athlete who competed in the 200 and 400 metres race events. She is the current Asian Games record holder in women's 200m event and current Asian Athletics Championships record holder in women's 400m event as well as national record holder in women's 400m. She is regarded as one of the greatest track and field athletes to have represented Sri Lanka at international level alongside her teammate Susanthika Jayasinghe. She is also regarded as the most successful Sri Lankan athlete at the Asian Games with a medal haul of four medals including three gold medals and became the first Sri Lankan female athlete to clinch three Asian Games gold medals. She represented Sri Lanka at the Olympics on three occasions in 1992, 2000 and 2004. She also represented Sri Lanka at the Commonwealth Games on four occasions in 1994, 1998, 2002 and 2006 as well as at the South Asian Games on four occasions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Perri Shakes-Drayton</span> English track and field athlete (born 1988)

Peirresha Alexandra Shakes-Drayton is a British retired track and field athlete. After specialising in the 400 metres hurdles in the early part of her career, a knee injury at the 2013 World Championships forced Shakes-Drayton to concentrate on the 400 metres on her return to athletics. She is the 2013 European Indoor Champion in the 400 metres and won a 2012 World Indoor Championship gold medal in the 4 x 400 metres relay. She has also won silver and bronze medals in the 4 × 400 m relay at the World Championships.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eilidh Doyle</span> British track and field athlete

Eilidh Doyle is a retired British track and field athlete. Originally running as Eilidh Child, she specialised in the 400 metres hurdles outdoors, and the 400 metres flat indoors, as well as the 4 x 400 metres relay on both surfaces. She represented Great Britain at the 2012 Olympic Games in London, and won an Olympic bronze medal in the 4 x 400 metres relay at the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro. Individually, she is the 2014 European Champion and a three-time Commonwealth silver medalist in the 400 metres hurdles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Muizat Ajoke Odumosu</span> Nigerian athlete (born 1987)

Muizat Ajoke Odumosu Alademerin is a Nigerian track and field athlete who specialises in the 400 metres and the 400 metres hurdles. She represented Nigeria at the 2008 and 2012 Summer Olympics and competed at the World Championships in Athletics in 2007, 2009, 2011 and 2013. She was the bronze medallist at the 2007 All-Africa Games and went on to become the continental champion with a win at the 2008 and 2012 African Championships.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shehan Ambepitiya</span> Sri Lankan sprinter

Shehan Abeyptiya is a Sri Lankan male athlete who won 3 gold medals at the 2008 Commonwealth Youth Games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anna Ryzhykova</span> Ukrainian hurdler (born 1989)

Anna Vasylivna Ryzhykova, nee Yaroshchuk is a Ukrainian track and field athlete who specialises in the 400 metres hurdles. At the European Athletics Championships, she won silver medals in 2012 and 2018, and bronze in 2022. Ryzhykova placed fifth at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christine Sonali Merrill</span> Sri Lankan–American athlete (born 1987)

Christine Sonali Merrill, also simply known as Christine Merill, is a former Sri Lankan–American track and field athlete and mechanical engineer. During her career, she specialized in the 400m hurdles event and also occasionally competed in 100m, 200m, 100m hurdles, 4 × 100m relay and 4 × 400m relay events.

Nadeeka Lakmali Bambarenda Liyanage is a Sri Lankan javelin thrower. She is regarded one of the finest javelin throwers in Sri Lanka with global fame. She is also attached with the Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force and current national record holder in women's javelin throw event.

Selvagowry Retchakan-Müller, is an English former track and field athlete who competed in the 400 metres hurdles. She represented Great Britain at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, and won silver medals at the 1992 IAAF World Cup and the 1998 Commonwealth Games. She won five AAA Championships titles and two UK Championship titles. She was ranked in the world's top ten at 400 metres hurdles in both 1991 and 1992.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Janieve Russell</span> Jamaican track and field athlete

Janieve Russell is a Jamaican track and field athlete who competes mainly in the 400 metres hurdles and the 400 metres sprint. She won an Olympic bronze medal in the 4 × 400 m relay in Tokyo 2021, where she also finished fourth in the 400m hurdles final in a personal best of 53.08 secs. She is a four-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist, winning the 400m hurdles title in 2018 and 2022, and the 4 × 400 m relay in 2014 and 2018. She has also won two relay silvers at the World Championships and a relay gold at the World Indoor Championships.

Aishath Nazima is a retired Maldivian athlete. She competed in Volleyball, Basketball, Netball, Athletics and Handball. She was selected as Asia's 11th player of the tournament. She won one silver medal and one bronze medal. She was part of the Maldives women's national Volleyball, Athletics, Netball, Basketball and Handball teams. She is the only woman to become the Vice president of Football Association of Maldives.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nimali Liyanarachchi</span> Sri Lankan athlete

Nimali Waliwarsha Konda Liyanarachchi is a Sri Lankan 800 m runner and current national record holder in women's 1500m event. She is also believed to be the first Sri Lankan woman to have competed in steeplechase events. She became the first Sri Lankan woman to complete the distance of 3000 metres in steeplechase event under 11 minutes. She won the best athlete award twice at the Presidential award ceremonies by the Sports Ministry including the Most Outstanding Sportswoman of the Year in 2015. She is currently attached to Sri Lanka Air Force.

Abeykoon Mudiyansalage Yupun Priyadarshana, known as Yupun Abeykoon, also referred to as Yupun Priyadarshana, is a Sri Lankan track and field athlete and a national record holder in men's 100m, men's 200m and in men's indoor 60m. On 3 July 2022, he became the first South Asian to break the 10-Second barrier for the men's 100 meters event at the Resisprint International competition, with a timing of 9.96 seconds, in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland. He currently resides in Italy as he went on a scholarship to Italy in 2015. He is also attached to the Electronic and Mechanical Engineering Regiment of the Sri Lanka Army and represents Army Sports Club. He is currently regarded as the fastest Sri Lankan man as well as fastest South Asian man in men's 100m and 200m disciplines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sri Lanka at the 2022 Commonwealth Games</span> Sporting event delegation

Sri Lanka competed at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England from 28 July to 8 August 2022. This was Sri Lanka's 17th appearance at the Commonwealth Games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kaushalya Madushani</span> Sri Lankan track and field athlete (1995–2022)

Kaushalya Madushani, also known as Kawshalya Madushani Edirippulilage or Kaushalya Madhushani, was a Sri Lankan track and field athlete who mainly competed in the hurdles event. She was a five-time national champion in the women's 400m hurdles. She was the defending national champion in women's 400m hurdles prior to her death when she defended her title successfully in 2022. She was attached to the Sri Lankan Army.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nilani Ratnayake</span> Sri Lankan steeplechaser

Nilani Ratnayake also spelt as Nilani Rathnayake or Nilani Rathnayaka is a Sri Lankan steeplechaser. She is the first and only Sri Lankan female steeplechase runner ever in history to have completed running the 3000 meters steeplechase in less than under 10 minutes. She is currently attached with the Sri Lanka Army.

References

  1. Hurdles star Kulawansha says Lanka has medal potential . Sunday Times Sri Lanka. Retrieved on 2013-10-27.
  2. www.ceylonathletics.com (2018-10-22). "Sriyani Kulawansha – Sri Lanka's best Hurdler - Ceylon Athletics News". Sri Lanka Athletics News & information Portal | Fixtures | Results. Retrieved 2020-04-14.