The 4th South Asian Senior Athletics Championships concluded on 26 October in Ranchi, India, marking the end of the event after a 17-year hiatus. Sri Lanka’s athletes delivered outstanding performances, securing 16 gold, 14 silver, and 10 bronze medals, placing the country second overall in the medals table.

India topped the championships with 58 medals—20 gold, 20 silver, and 18 bronze—while Nepal finished third with six medals.

A total of 300 athletes from six South Asian countries—India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, and the Maldives—competed in the three-day event. Sri Lanka was represented by 63 athletes.

On the final day, Sri Lankan athletes won eight gold and eight silver medals, showcasing dominance in both track and field events.

Ayomal Akalanka claimed silver in the men’s 400m hurdles with a time of 50.29 seconds, while Dasuni Kaushalya won gold in the women’s 400m hurdles, clocking 58.66 seconds. Araliya Sathsarani secured silver in the same event with 59.24 seconds.

In the men’s javelin throw, Rumesha Tharanga and Sumedha Ranasinghe claimed gold and silver, respectively, with throws of 84.29m and 81.62m.

Harsha Karunaratne, brother of middle-distance star Tharushi Karunaratne, took gold in the men’s 800m event with 1:51.96 minutes.

Nadeesha Dilhani Lekamge broke the championship record in the women’s javelin throw, winning gold with a throw of 60.14m.

Thakshima Nuhansa Kodituwakku won silver in the women’s 800m with 2:06.51 minutes, while Madushani Herath, who set a new record in the triple jump earlier, also won gold in the women’s long jump with 6.23m.

Pehansa Gamage secured silver in the women’s high jump (1.74m), and Indusara Vidushan won silver in the men’s 200m with 21.42 seconds.

Rasara Wijesuriya triumphed in the women’s 10,000m, winning gold with 34:39.95 minutes.

Sri Lanka’s Safiya Yamic delivered one of the championship’s most remarkable performances. After winning gold in the women’s 100m earlier, she went on to win the 200m gold with a record-breaking time of 23.58 seconds, breaking Indian legend P. T. Usha’s 27-year-old record. She also claimed gold in the 4x100m women’s relay, securing a total of three gold medals.

The men’s 4x400m relay team also clinched gold (3:05.12 minutes), while the women’s team won silver. Vishmitha Kumara earned silver in the men’s long jump (7.56m), and Damith Dharmasena took silver in the men’s discus throw (46.55m).

The opening day saw Sri Lanka emerge as the sprint powerhouse of South Asia. Chamod Yodhasinghe won gold in the men’s 100m, clocking 10.3 seconds, setting a new championship record. Representing the Sri Lanka Army, Yodhasinghe also won the same event at the 103rd National Athletics Championships.

In the women’s 100m, Safiya Yamic clocked 11.53 seconds, another championship record. Amasha de Silva finished close behind, taking silver in 11.72 seconds. Both athletes represented the Sri Lanka Army.

Their victories marked a historic moment—for the first time in years, both South Asia’s fastest man and woman were Sri Lankan.

On the second day (25 October), Sri Lanka captured four gold medals, three of them in sprint events. Kalinga Kumara won the men’s 400m in 46.21 seconds, followed by teammate Kalhara Indupa who took silver (46.81 seconds). Sri Lanka’s men’s and women’s relay teams also triumphed in the 4x100m events with 39.99 seconds and 44.70 seconds, respectively.

In the men’s high jump, Tharindu Dasun claimed gold with 2.17m, while veteran Nimali Liyanarachchi and Rusiru Chathuranga each won silver in the 1500m events.

Sri Lanka also earned five bronze medals that day in hurdles, discus, and javelin events, including from former long jump champion Malintha Sampath.

Meanwhile, at the 3rd Asian Youth Games in Bahrain, Sri Lanka’s Dilini Nethsala won bronze in the girls’ triple jump with a performance of 12.31m, while the mixed relay team secured silver with a time of 1:52.82 minutes.