Nadeeka Lakmali Bambarenda Liyanage (born September 18, 1981 in Elpitiya, Galle) is a Sri Lankan javelin thrower.[1][2][3] She is regarded one of the finest javelin throwers in Sri Lanka with global fame.[4] She is also attached with the Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force and current national record holder in women's javelin throw event.[5][6][7]
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Nadeeka Lakmali Bambarenda Liyanage |
| Nationality |  Sri Lanka |
| Born | 18 September 1981 Elpitiya, Dakunu, Galle, Southern Province, Sri Lanka |
| Height | 1.65 m (5 ft 5 in) |
| Weight | 60 kg (132 lb) |
| Sport | |
| Country | Sri Lanka |
| Sport | Athletics |
| Event | Javelin throw |
| Achievements and titles | |
| World finals | IAAF World Championship - 2013 |
| Personal best | Javelin throw: 60.64 m (2013) NR |
Life
editLiyaanage won a bronze medal for the same category at the 2007 Asian Athletics Championships in Amman, Jordan, achieving her best throw at 52.59 metres.[8]
Lakmali represented Sri Lanka at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, where she competed for the women's javelin throw.[9] She performed the best throw of 54.28 metres, on her third and final attempt, finishing forty-third overall in the qualifying rounds.[10]
She represented Sri Lanka at the 2010 Commonwealth Games which was held in New Delhi where she finished at seventh place in women's javelin throw event clearing a distance of 53.36 meters.[11] Lakmali improved her personal best and national record to 59.32 metres on June 30, 2013 in Pihtipudas, Finland.[12]
Lakmali gained first place in all 3 stages of 2013 Asian Athletics Grand Prix to win gold after clearing a distance of 56.83m during the first leg which was held at Thammasat University Ground.[13] Later she renewed her national record to 60.16 at the 2013 Asian Athletics Championships in Pune, India along with winning the silver medal in the women's javelin throw event behind China's Li Lingwei.[14][15][16] She also qualified for the IAAF world championships in Moscow in August. Just before the world championships, Lakmali competed in Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Forces' Inter-Regiment Athletics Championships where she broke her own national record once again. She achieved 60.64 metres.[17][6] Lakmali qualified for the finals of the Javelin throw in 2013 IAAF world championships with a best of 60.39m from the Group B. Even though she was not able to match the automatic qualifying mark of 61.50m, she entered the finals as the next best performance from Group A and B.[18] With this performance she became only the second athlete from Sri Lanka after sprinter Susanthika Jayasinghe to reach the final round at an IAAF World Athletics Championship.[19][20] She finished 12th and last position in the final clearing a distance of 58.16m.[21][22]
She trained with former Sri Lankan javelin thrower Dilhani Lekamge[23] under until she left their coach A.J.Rodrigo to train elsewhere in 2014.[24] She also represented Sri Lanka at the 2014 Commonwealth Games and finished at 6th place clearing distance of 59.04m in women's javelin throw event.[25] At the 2016 South Asian Games representing Sri Lanka, she claimed bronze medal after clearing a distance of 54.82 meters.[26]
In 2017 she represented her country in India at the 2017 Asian Athletics Championships in the women's javelin throw. The event was won by Li Lingwei but significantly Dilhani Lekamge matched her former training partner Nadeeka Lakmali[24] and took the bronze.[27] She also represented Sri Lanka at the 2019 South Asian Games and claimed silver medal in javelin throw event clearing 54.41m meanwhile incidentally Nadeeka Lekamge who herself admires Nadeeka Lakmali as her role model won the gold medal.[28][29][30] She also claimed bronze medal at the 2019 Military World Games which was held in Wuhan clearing distance of 52.73m.[31][32]
Lakmali is a Warrant Officer attached to the 4 Battalion (V), Sri Lanka Army Women’s Corps.[33]
References
edit- ^ "Nadeeka LAKMALI". Olympics.com. Retrieved 2021-06-21.
- ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Nadeeka Lakmali". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 15 January 2013.
- ^ "Glasgow 2014 - Nadeeka lakmali Babaranda Liyanage Profile". results.glasgow2014.com. Retrieved 2021-06-21.
- ^ "A house for top athlete Nadeeka Lakmali".
- ^ "The Island". www.island.lk. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04.
- ^ a b "Nadeeka Lakmali sets new national javelin throw record". www.adaderana.lk. Retrieved 2021-06-21.
- ^ "Protectors to Promoters". Times Online - Daily Online Edition of The Sunday Times Sri Lanka. Retrieved 2021-06-21.
- ^ Premalal, Susil (28 July 2007). "Susi gets gold in Amman". Island Online Edition (Sri Lanka). Retrieved 18 January 2013.
- ^ "Sri Lanka ready to 'go for gold' - CNN.com". edition.cnn.com. Retrieved 2021-06-21.
- ^ "Women's Javelin Throw Qualifying Rounds". NBC Olympics. Archived from the original on 31 July 2012. Retrieved 15 January 2013.
- ^ "Info System". 2010-10-10. Archived from the original on 2010-10-10. Retrieved 2021-06-21.
- ^ Karttunen, Anu (30 June 2013). "Keihäskarnevaaleilla todellinen yllätysvoittaja – Utriaisella jalkavaivoja". Yleisradio. Retrieved 30 June 2013.
- ^ "Nadeeka, Nimali and Manjula win gold in Asian Grand Prix". Hiru News. Retrieved 2021-06-21.
- ^ K. Kumaraswamy (Jul 7, 2013). "Thailand's Winatho wins heptathlon gold | More sports News - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 2021-06-21.
- ^ "20th Asian Athletics Championships-2013" (PDF). Regional Development Center (RDC) Jakarta. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 19, 2016. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
- ^ bugsbunny (2013-07-06). "Nadeeka Lakmali wins silver". Colombo Gazette. Retrieved 2021-06-21.
- ^ Wasala, Chintana. "Nadeeka renews national record". Daily News. Retrieved 2021-06-21.
- ^ "Nadeeka on show today | The Sundaytimes Sri Lanka". Retrieved 2021-06-21.
- ^ "Nadeeka Lakmali - second Lankan athlete to reach IAAF final round". Daily News. Retrieved 2021-06-21.
- ^ "Nadeeka Lakmali – only second Lankan to figure in final of World Championship". archives.sundayobserver.lk. Retrieved 2021-06-21.
- ^ "Nadeeka among the best in the world - Caption Story | Daily Mirror". www.dailymirror.lk. Retrieved 2021-06-21.
- ^ "Javelin champ Lakmali returns home from World Athletic Championship | Daily FT". www.ft.lk. Retrieved 2021-06-21.
- ^ Eight Sri Lankans in Action Today, CeylonToday. Retrieved 21 July 2017
- ^ a b Dilhani turns Tables, CeylonToday, Retrieved 21 July 2017
- ^ "Glasgow 2014 - Women's Javelin Throw Final". results.glasgow2014.com. Retrieved 2021-06-21.
- ^ Wijewickrama, Navod (2016-02-11). "Suranjaya wins 200m while others settle for Silver and Bronze - #SAG2016 Day 6". ThePapare.com. Retrieved 2021-06-21.
- ^ Results Archived 2017-10-28 at the Wayback Machine, Odisha 2017, Retrieved 21 July 2017
- ^ "Sri Lanka grab five golds as athletics concludes at South Asian Games". www.insidethegames.biz. 7 December 2019. Retrieved 2021-06-21.
- ^ "Sri Lankan athletes overcome fever and detractors in record medals show". Sunday Observer. 2019-12-07. Retrieved 2021-06-21.
- ^ "Javelin is my first love - Nadeeka Lekamge". Sunday Observer. 2021-06-04. Retrieved 2021-06-21.
- ^ "Lakmali wins bronze in javelin in World Military Games".
- ^ "Sri Lankans contest Military Games eyeing South Asian show". Sunday Observer. 2019-10-19. Retrieved 2021-06-21.
- ^ "Javelin Athlete, Nadeeka Lakmali to Receive Continued Sponsorship for Her Training". army.lk. Sri Lanka Army.
