US visa issues deny Sri Lanka Olympic qualifying opportunity in Bahamas
by Reemus Fernando
Sri Lanka will not be able to field their formidable men’s 4×400 metres relay quartet inclusive of the two fastest men in Asia in the 400 metres this season at the upcoming World Relays in Bahamas due to visa issues. The team inclusive of Aruna Dharshana, who has clocked the fastest time in Asia (45.30 secs) so far this year and Kalinga Kumarage (45.35 secs, second fastest time in Asia) are currently ranked 16th in the world in the men’s 4×400 metres relay by vertue of their record breaking feat at the Asian Athletics Championship last year. Sri Lanka Athletics was expecting to field this team for the World Relays 2024 to be held in Bahamas from May 4-5.
The competition holds extra significance, as it is the main qualifying event for relay events at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
However with the US embassy in Colombo not granting visa interviews for the transit visas untill late May the team will not be able to compete at the World Athletics event in the Bahamas, where 14 out of the final 16 men’s 4×400 metres teams for the Paris Olympics will be selected.
Yesterday, Sri Lanka’s track and field governing body informed the members of the relay team that they will not be able to take wings to Bahamas due to visa issues.
“No sooner we received the invitation for the World Relays (on April 8, 2024) from World Athletics, we applied for transit visas. But the embassy has provided appointments for interviews late in May. The Sports Minister too intervened but the embassy has not changed its stance,” a senior official of Sri Lanka Athletics said in reply to The Island quarries yesterday.
World Athletics had listed Sri Lanka among 32 men’s teams for the 4×400 metres relay starting on May 4 but had not intervened to solve visa issues.
Sri Lanka had not fielded a team for the World Relays since its inception in 2014 but the sports governing body decided to field teams this time as it provides a valuable opportunity to qualify for the Olympics Games.
The country’s men’s 4×400 metres, women’s 4×400 metres and the 4×400 metres mixed relay teams were ranked among the top 25 teams in the world after their impressive performances at both the Asian Athletics Championships and the Asian Games last year.
With the huge costs involved in air tickets and visas, Sri lanka Athletics decided to field only the men’s 4×400 metres team which is the closest to achieving qualifying standards.
The missed opportunity will be a huge blow for the Olympic aspirations of Aruna Dharshana and Kalinga Kumarage, the two fastest 400 metres runners in Asia this season. They had forgone other competition opportunities to concentrate on the World Relays.
Sri Lanka has several athletes who are close to achieving qualifying standards for Olympics. Of them Italy based sprinter Yupun Abeykoon, Asian Games medallist Tharushi Karunaratne, top ranked middle distance runner Gayanthika Abeyratne and Asian Championship medallist Nadeesha Ramanayake are expected to compete at the Dubai Grand Prix later this week.
