Abled by spirit Sanjaya transcends limitations

First Sri Lankan to win a medal in World Para Championships

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Abled by spirit Sanjaya transcends limitations

Chris Dhambarage

In the year 2008 he suffered a huge setback and his promising sporting career was in complete shambles when his left hand was paralyzed due to severe gunshot injuries which he suffered in battle at the warfront in Kilinochchi.

Five years later Pradeep Sanjaya a twenty-seven-year-old rural athlete from Talawa, Anuradhapura has successfully turned a new leaf in the country’s sporting history becoming the first Sri Lankan disabled athlete to win a medal in a World Para Championship meet.

Last week the Staff Sergeant attached to the Singha Regiment of the Sri Lanka Army produced a magnificent performance to clinch the bronze medal in the men’s 400 metres track 56 event at the IPLC World Para Championships worked off in Lyon, France.

The former schoolboy of Rajayanganaya MV Anuradhapura and Delwela MV Mihirigama returned a timing of 50.03 seconds with Gunther Matzinger of Austria taking the gold medal in this event with a timing of 49.45 seconds.

With this success Pradeep Sanjaya was able to complete back-to-back medals following similar success in last year’s London Para Olympic Games.

“I am really proud of this achievement as this performance has brought great honour to my country although the timing was not all that impressive compared to my effort at the Para Olympic Games in London last year,” said a determined Pradeep Sanjaya.

His success was even more significant considering the fact that he was the only athlete to win a medal from the Sri Lankan contingent and was competing against heavy odds under gloomy conditions and even without the backing of his regular coach Jansz Dissanayake who had to miss the tour due to unavoidable circumstances.  

“I think the main reason for this was the wind factor at this venue which had a great effect on most of the competitors especially during the last 50 metres of the race where I had to fight hard to keep the momentum going.

“In fact if not for the strong winds and the unusual weather I would have had a definite chance of challenging the top two competitors in this event because I was very much in front almost until the first 300 metres.”

Earlier Pradeep Sanjaya had the credit of taking the second place in heat number one with a good timing of 50.23 seconds and was vying for honours along with thirteen other top competitors in this event. 

This success would certainly provide Pradeep Sanjaya the needed confidence to persevere in his career as he looked forward to make vast strides in disabled sports by competing in more international tournaments in the coming years.

Pradeep Sanjaya who launched his career at Sri Lanka Army as a Lance Corporal was able to make a lasting impression in his very first international assignment where he bagged the bronze medal at the Open Para Championships in Malaysia in 2012.

This was in fact a huge achievement and a turning point in his sporting career because he also booked a direct entry into the London Para Olympic Games by virtue of reaching the required qualifying standard timing.

Pradeep Sanjaya never looked back from there onwards and took another giant step in his sporting career when he won the bronze medal once again at the London Para Olympic Games which earned him double promotion at Sri Lanka Army into the ranks of Staff Sergeant.         

        

His latest heroics have once again brought great honour and fame to Sri Lanka as he looks forward towards enhancing his career prospects in an attempt to fulfill his ultimate goal of winning a gold medal in an international event.      

“I am very much pleased with this performance because this is a great morale booster for my career prospects and I am very much thankful to all the officers of Sri Lanka Army for providing me the much needed support and the encouragement”.

“I would certainly work hard in the coming events and bring more medals to my country and my next target is the 2014 Asian Para Games in South Korea and the World Para Championships.

“However my long awaited dream is of course to win a gold medal at the next Para Olympic Games in Brazil before retiring from the sport” added Pradeep Sanjaya.

The fact file

Name: Pradeep Sanjaya

Current age: 27 years

Place of birth: Talawa, Anuradhapura

School attended: Rajayanganaya MV Anuradhapura and Delwela MV Mihirigama

Club: Army SC

Event: 400 metres Track 56

First major tournament: Asian Open Para Championship in Malaysia 2012

Best timing: 49.28 seconds at Olympic Games in London, 2012   

Current coach: Jansz Dissanayake

Caption:

Pradeep Sanjaya