Sri Lanka at the 2020 Summer Olympics explained

Noc:SRI
Nocname:National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka
Games:Summer Olympics
Year:2020
Location:Tokyo, Japan
Competitors:9
Sports:7
Flagbearer Open:Milka Gehani
Chamara Dharmawardana
Flagbearer Close:Yupun Abeykoon
Gold:0
Silver:0
Bronze:0
Officials:17
Appearances:auto

Sri Lanka competed at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. Originally scheduled to take place from 24 July to 9 August 2020, the Games were postponed to 23 July to 8 August 2021, because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[1] It was the nation's eighteenth appearance at the Summer Olympics, with the exception of the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal. Seven of the nation's previous Olympic appearances were under the name Ceylon.

On 4 July 2021, judoka Chamara Dharmawardana and artistic gymnast Milka Gehani were announced as Sri Lanka's flag-bearers during the opening ceremony.[2] [3] Yupun Abeykoon is the flag-bearer for the closing ceremony.[4]

The Sri Lankan team of nine athletes (four men and five women) competed in seven sports along with 17 officials and coaches was announced on July 6, 2021.[5] The country made its debut in the sports of artistic gymnastics and equestrian.[6]

None of the athletes were able to advance to the next rounds in their events and Sri Lanka ended the Tokyo Olympics without a medal.[7] [8]

Competitors

The following is the list of number of competitors in the Games.

width=130Sportwidth=55Menwidth=55Womenwidth=55Total
Athletics112
Badminton101
Equestrian011
Gymnastics011
Judo101
Shooting011
Swimming112
Total459

Athletics

See main article: Athletics at the 2020 Summer Olympics and Athletics at the 2020 Summer Olympics – Qualification. Sri Lanka entered two athletes. One Sri Lankan athlete, Yupun Abeykoon achieved the entry standard through the world ranking, while Nimali Liyanarachchi was awarded a universality spot.[9] [10] [11]

Track & road events
AthleteEventHeat QuarterfinalSemifinalFinal
ResultRankResultRankResultRankResultRank
Yupun AbeykoonMen's 100 m10.326Did not advance
Nimali LiyanarachchiWomen's 800 m2:10.238Did not advance

Badminton

See main article: Badminton at the 2020 Summer Olympics and Badminton at the 2020 Summer Olympics – Qualification. Sri Lanka received an invitation from the Tripartite Commission to send Niluka Karunaratne in the men's singles, to his third straight Olympics.[12] [13]

Equestrian

See main article: Equestrian at the 2020 Summer Olympics and Equestrian at the 2020 Summer Olympics – Qualification. For the first time in history, Sri Lanka entered one jumping rider into the Olympic equestrian competition, by finishing in the top two of the individual FEI Olympic Rankings for Group G (Southeast Asia and Oceania).[14] Mathilda Karlsson initially had a part of her qualifying points removed, following an administrative error from the FEI; however, the decision on points removal was subsequently overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.[15]

Jumping

Gymnastics

See main article: Gymnastics at the 2020 Summer Olympics and Gymnastics at the 2020 Summer Olympics – Qualification.

Artistic

With the cancellation of the 2021 Asian Championships in Hangzhou, China, Milka Gehani secured a spot as the highest-ranked gymnast from Asia at the 2019 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Stuttgart, Germany not already qualified.[16]

Women

Judo

See main article: Judo at the 2020 Summer Olympics and Judo at the 2020 Summer Olympics – Qualification. Sri Lanka received an invitation from the Tripartite Commission to send Chamara Dharmawardana in the men's lightweight category (73 kg).[17] [18]

Shooting

See main article: Shooting at the 2020 Summer Olympics and Shooting at the 2020 Summer Olympics – Qualification. Sri Lanka received an invitation from the Tripartite Commission to send a women's rifle shooter to the Olympics, as long as the minimum qualifying score (MQS) was fulfilled by June 5, 2021.[19] [20]

Swimming

See main article: article, Swimming at the 2020 Summer Olympics and Swimming at the 2020 Summer Olympics – Qualification. Sri Lanka received two universality invitations from FINA to send two top-ranked swimmers (one per gender in their respective individual events to the Olympics, based on the FINA Points System of June 28, 2021.[21] [22] [23] [24]

AthleteEventHeatSemifinalFinal
TimeRankTimeRankTimeRank
Matthew AbeysingheMen's 100 m freestyle50.6248Did not advance
Aniqah GaffoorWomen's 100 m butterfly1:05.3332Did not advance

See also

References


Notes and References

  1. News: Joint Statement from the International Olympic Committee and the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee. 28 March 2020. Olympics. 24 March 2020.
  2. News: Weerawansa. Dinesh. 4 July 2021. Judoka and gymnast to hoist the Lion as Sri Lanka Olympic captains. Sunday Observer. Colombo, Sri Lanka. 17 July 2021.
  3. Web site: Sri Lankan Flag Bearers at the Olympics: Carrying more than just a flag. Akhila. Seneviratne. 12 July 2021. www.thepapare.com. Dialog Axiata. 17 July 2021.
  4. Web site: Japan. Dinesh Weerawansa reporting from. Yupun Abeykoon Sri Lanka’s flag-bearer at Olympics closing ceremony. 2021-08-04. Daily News. en.
  5. News: 6 July 2021. Team Sri Lanka confirms 9 athletes, 17 officials to Tokyo 2020. Daily FT. Colombo, Sri Lanka. 17 July 2021.
  6. News: 11 July 2021. Olympic ‘dream’. The Sunday Times. Colombo, Sri Lanka. 17 July 2021.
  7. Web site: Sports Minister on Sri Lanka’s medal-less Olympics. 2021-08-08. www.adaderana.lk. en.
  8. Web site: No medals not a surprise at Tokyo 2020 Olympics Daily FT. 2021-08-08. www.ft.lk. English.
  9. Web site: iaaf.org – Top Lists. World Athletics. 8 April 2019.
  10. News: Ratnaweera. Dhammika. 5 July 2021. Yupun Abeykoon the only Sri Lankan athlete to get direct qualification for Tokyo Olympics. Daily News. Colombo, Sri Lanka. 17 July 2021.
  11. News: Ratnaweera. Dhammika. 6 July 2021. WA approves Nimali for Tokyo Games. Daily News. Colombo, Sri Lanka. 17 July 2021.
  12. Web site: Niluka Karunaratne becomes 6th Sri Lankan to qualify for Tokyo Olympics. Ada Derana. 2 June 2021. 14 July 2021. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20210602181958/http://www.adaderana.lk/news/74345/niluka-karunaratne-becomes-6th-sri-lankan-to-qualify-for-tokyo-olympics. 2 June 2021.
  13. Web site: Badminton player Karunaratne set for third Olympics as Sri Lanka confirms Tokyo 2020 team. Palmer. Dan. 16 July 2021. Insidethegames.biz. Dunsar Media. 17 July 2021.
  14. News: Tokyo 2020 team and individual quota places confirmed by FEI. FEI. 17 February 2020. 1 March 2020.
  15. News: Ranking points reinstated for Andrea Herck and Mathilda Karlsson after successful appears to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. World of Show Jumping. 20 April 2021. 20 April 2021.
  16. Web site: Sri Lankan gymnast Milka Gehani qualifies for Tokyo. Ada Derana. 6 May 2021. 21 June 2021.
  17. News: Nicolas. Messner. Tokyo 2020: Official Olympic Qualification List. International Judo Federation. 22 June 2021. 2 July 2021.
  18. News: Premalal. Susil. 28 June 2021. Judoka Dharmawardana selected to participate in Olympics. Daily Mirror. Colombo, Sri Lanka. 17 July 2021.
  19. Web site: Quota Places by Nation and Number. 31 May 2021. www.issf-sports.org/. ISSF. 31 May 2021. 28 June 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210628174326/https://www.issf-sports.org/competitions/ogqualification/quota_places/quota_places_by_nation_and_name.ashx. dead.
  20. News: Premalal. Susil. 29 May 2021. Tokyo Games Tripartite Commission ‘invites’ shooter Tehani Erandi Egodawela of Sri Lanka Navy to compete in Olympics. Daily Mirror. Colombo, Sri Lanka. 31 May 2021.
  21. Web site: Tokyo Olympics Entry Lists Released, Swimming Begins July 24. Swimming World Magazine. 16 July 2021.
  22. Web site: Abeysinghe and Gaffoor headed for the Tokyo Olympics. Dinushki. Ranasinghe. 30 June 2021. www.thepapare.com. Dialog Axiata. 17 July 2021.
  23. News: Ratnaweera. Dhammika. 1 July 2021. Abeysinghe and Gaffoor to represent SL at Tokyo Olympics. Daily News. Colombo, Sri Lanka. 17 July 2021.
  24. Web site: Johnson. Annika. Abeysinghe and Gaffoor of Sri Lanka Nominated for Tokyo Olympics. 29 June 2021. SwimSwam. 17 July 2021.