The Crysbro-National Olympic Committee’s (NOC’s) ‘Next Olympic Champ’ programme is now completed and it could be described as one of the most unique and futuristic concepts that have been set on course in Sri Lanka so far in the sports realm.
The main aim of this programme is to help and sustain identified junior athletes of Sri Lanka and elevate them to be the next contenders of the top tier athletes and produce medal winners with eye for the third Olympic Medal in Sri Lankan history.
Initially, the Selection Committee selected 12 athletes and added the remaining eight just prior to island-wide travel restrictions.
Shehan Ambepitiya, who was one of the live wire selectors of this programme, described the programme in this manner; “I ended up winning a lot of international medals those days but I did not have the cushioning and backing that this programme could offer to hone my skills.”
Milka Gehani has already qualified for the Olympics while Tharushi Karunaratne has already qualified for the World Junior Athletic Championships and both are recipients of this scholarship.
Under this programme, each athlete receives an accumulated amount of Rs. 47,000 per month for their training.
In addition, two athletes Senaka Gunaratne (athletics) and Milka Gehani (gymnastics) received scholarships under this programme.
Describing the present status of the programme one of the senior organisers said: “Right now these young athletes are engaged only in training as a result of the prevailing pandemic situation so, keeping a tab on improvement is rather hypothetical but only the competition gets back to normal it would be business as usual.”
The recipients: Kumar Danushan (Golf), Amandhika Amarasinghe (shooting), Tehan Sanchith Rayman (boxing), Nethmi Nimthera (boxing), Ravindu Sithum Jayasundara (athletics), Tharushi Karunarathne (athletics), Deshan Kapila Kumara (weightlifting), Sachini Rajika Laksarani (weightlifting), Senura Dilanka Silva (table tennis), Nadila Nethviru (gymnastics), Tharinda Mandara Premakumara (taekwondo), Senori Sasadara Fernando (taekwondo), Sithuli Sodithya (athletics), Ishara Samanmalee (athletics), Vinod Ariyawansa (athletics), Madushika Premarathna (weightlifting), Bimandi Bandara (table tennis), Anju Minuwandana de Silva (weightlifting), Wenuka Kithnula (tennis) and Nethmi Ahinsa Fernando (wrestling).
Co-opted scholarships: Senaka Gunaratne (athletics) and Milka Gehani (gymnastics). (D.R)
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