Sri Lanka’s sprint star Yupun Abeykoon, widely regarded as South Asia’s fastest man, has announced his retirement from professional athletics, bringing to a close a trailblazing career that transformed sprinting in the region.
Abeykoon made the announcement through his social media accounts, thanking those who supported him throughout his journey. He retires as the first South Asian athlete to break the 10-second barrier in the men’s 100 metres, a milestone he achieved in 2022 when he clocked 9.96 seconds at the Resisprint International meet in Switzerland.
Based and training in Italy since 2015, Yupun Abeykoon established himself as one of Sri Lanka’s greatest sprinters, consistently raising the country’s profile on the international athletics stage. He also secured a historic bronze medal in the men’s 100 metres at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, becoming the first Sri Lankan sprinter to win a Commonwealth medal in the event.
At the time of his retirement, Abeykoon held the Sri Lankan national records in the indoor 60 metres with 6.59 seconds, the 100 metres with 9.96 seconds, and the 200 metres with 20.37 seconds.
Despite battling a series of hamstring injuries in recent years that ruled him out of major competitions, including the 2023 Asian Games and the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, Yupun Abeykoon repeatedly fought his way back to competition, demonstrating remarkable resilience throughout his career.
He has also established Sri Lanka’s first multi-sports agency aimed at supporting and developing the next generation of athletes, signalling his intention to remain involved in sport beyond his competitive career.
