6 August, 2023
Youth athletics team: From left: Nirmali Wickramasinghe, Nilupul Pehesara, Ayomal Akalanka, Lesandu Arthavidu and Hansika Munasinghe
Five athletes left Sri Lanka to participate in the seventh Commonwealth Youth Games to be held in Trinidad and Tobago from August 5 to 11. However only the athletes left minus some officials as they were denied visas to the USA where they will transit in New York.
The five athletes who are all under-18 years old will participate only in the events they were selected for. Nirmali Wickremasinghe will run the 800m, Ayomal Akalanka the 400m hurdles, Nilupul Pehesara and Lesandu Arthavidu will take up for the high jump event while Hansika Munasinghe will do the long jump. Anura Bandara was to accompany the tour party as the coach and Nadeepa Thilakaratne as the Chaperon. Both were denied visas to the USA.
(TBR)