Sri Lanka at the 2022 Commonwealth Games

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Sporting event delegation

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Sri Lanka competed at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England from 28 July to 8 August 2022.[1] This was Sri Lanka’s 17th appearance at the Commonwealth Games.

On June 30, 2022 the National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka announced a team of 114 athletes (54 men and 60 women).[2] For the first time ever, more women will compete than men.[3][4] On July 19, 2022, the table tennis team of four male athletes was withdrawn, meaning the final team size was 50 men and 60 women (110 total athletes) competing in 13 sports.[5][6]

Weightlifter Indika Dissanayake and cricketer Chamari Athapaththu were the country’s flagbearers during the opening ceremony.[7][8]

Sri Lanka finished the competition with four medals (one silver and three bronze), ranking the country 31st overall on the medal table. Sri Lanka won its first ever Commonwealth Games medal in the sport of wrestling.[9]

Competitors[edit]

The following is the list of number of competitors participating at the Games per sport/discipline.

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Medalists[edit]

3×3 basketball[edit]

By virtue of its status as the top Commonwealth Asian nation in the respective FIBA 3×3 Federation Rankings for men and women (on 1 November 2021), Sri Lanka qualified for both tournaments.[10][11]

Summary

Men’s tournament[edit]

Roster

Group A

Source: Birmingham 2022
Rules for classification: 1) Wins; 2) Head-to-head record; 3) Points scored.

29 July 2022 (2022-07-29)
15:30

29 July 2022 (2022-07-29)
19:30

31 July 2022 (2022-07-31)
15:30

Women’s tournament[edit]

Roster

Group A

Source: Birmingham 2022
Rules for classification: 1) Wins; 2) Head-to-head record; 3) Points scored.

29 July 2022 (2022-07-29)
15:30

29 July 2022 (2022-07-29)
19:30

31 July 2022 (2022-07-31)
15:30

Athletics[edit]

On April 26, 2022, the Athletics Association of Sri Lanka named a team of eight athletes (four of each gender).[12][13] On June 1, 2022, Hiruni Wijayaratne was dropped from the team for unknown reasons.[14]Ushan Thiwanka later withdrew, citing a lack of preparation.[15] Para-athlete Palitha Bandara will also compete.[16]

On 3 August 2022, Yupun Abeykoon won the bronze medal after finishing the race in 10.14 seconds.[17] Abeykoon also became the first Sri Lankan to win a Commonwealth Games medal in athletics after 24 years since Sriyani Kulawansa and Sugath Thilakaratne’s medal feats at the 1998 Commonwealth Games.[18] Abeykoon also became the first Sri Lankan to win a Commonwealth Games medal in either men’s and women’s 100m event.[19] During the heats, Abeykoon managed to set an all-time fastest ever timing in Commonwealth Games history in the heats after finishing with a timing of 10.06 seconds. The previous record in 100m men’s heats record was held by Canada’s Glenroy Gilbert who had finished his heat with a timing of 10.10 seconds during the 1994 Commonwealth Games.[20] His timing of 10.06 seconds earned him a spot in the semi-finals.[21][22] Yupun finished with a timing of 10.20 seconds semi-final which helped him to secure a berth into the final and was also the only Asian athlete to qualify for the final.[23]

Palitha Bandara claimed a silver medal in men’s F42-44/61-64 discus throw final after clearing a distance of 44.20 meters garnering 944 points.[24][25][26] Bandara became the first Sri Lankan to win a Para Sports medal for Sri Lanka in Commonwealth Games history.[27]

Track and road events
Field events

Badminton[edit]

On May 4, 2022, Badminton Sri Lanka named a team of eight athletes (four of each gender).[28] Sri Lanka’s also qualified for the team event after being one of the top 14 nations in the BWF Ranking as of February 1, 2022.[29] The final team announcement dropped two women, meaning the final team size was six (four men and two women).[6]

Athlete Event Round of 64 Round of 32 Round of 16 Quarterfinal Semifinal Final / BM
Opposition
Score 		Opposition
Score 		Opposition
Score 		Opposition
Score 		Opposition
Score 		Opposition
Score 		Rank
Dumindu Abeywickrama Men’s singles  Lubah (MRI)
W 2–1 (21–7, 20–22, 21–11) 		 Cassar (MLT)
W 2–0 (21–11, 22–20) 		 Kidambi (IND)
L 0–2 (9–21, 12–21) 		did not advance
Niluka Karunaratne  Attama (UGA)
W 2–0 (21–6, 21–6) 		 Martin (BAR)
W 2–0 (21–6, 21–5) 		 Teh (SGP)
L 0–2 (13–21, 11–21) 		did not advance
Suhasni Vidanage Women’s singles Bye  Patel-Redfearn (ENG)
L 0–2 (11–21, 14–21) 		did not advance
Sachin Dias
Buwaneka Goonethilleka 		Men’s doubles —  King /
Martin (BAR)
W 2–0 (21–12, 21–9) 		 Nibal /
Rasheed (MDV)
W 2–0 (21–12, 21–8) 		 Chan /
Tan (MAS)
L 0–2 (16–21, 12–21) 		did not advance
Sachin Dias
Thilini Hendahewa 		Mixed doubles Bye  Lindeman /
Wu (CAN)
W 2–0 (21–11, 21–18) 		 Summers /
Scholtz (RSA)
W 2–0 (21–18, 21–8) 		 Ellis /
Smith (ENG)
L 0–2 (12–21, 19–21) 		did not advance
Mixed team
Summary
Squad
Group stage
Pos Team Pld W L MF MA MD GF GA GD PF PA PD Pts Qualification
1  India 3 3 0 14 1 +13 28 2 +26 620 329 +291 3 Knockout stage
2  Sri Lanka 3 2 1 7 8 −1 14 16 −2 489 520 −31 2
3  Australia 3 1 2 6 9 −3 12 18 −6 514 546 −32 1
4  Pakistan 3 0 3 3 12 −9 6 24 −18 382 610 −228 0
Quarterfinals

Beach volleyball[edit]

On 19 March 2022, Sri Lanka qualified in both the men’s and women’s tournaments. This was achieved by both teams winning the Asian Qualifiers that were held in Negombo, Sri Lanka.[33] This will be the first time Sri Lanka will be competing in the women’s event.[34] The teams were officially deemed as qualified on April 26, 2022.[35][36]

Summary

Men’s tournament[edit]

Group A

Quarterfinals

Women’s tournament[edit]

Group B

Qualified for the Quarterfinals
Quarterfinals

Sri Lanka entered eight boxers (five men and three women).[6]

Men
Women

Cricket[edit]

Sri Lanka secured its place in the tournament by winning the Commonwealth Games Qualifier on 24 January 2022.[37][38] The final roster of 15 athletes was named on July 19, 2022.[39]

Summary
Roster
Group play
  • Sri Lanka Women won the toss and elected to bat.
  • Katherine Brunt (Eng) played in her 100th WT20I.[40]
  • New Zealand Women won the toss and elected to bat.
  • South Africa Women won the toss and elected to field.

Sri Lanka entered one male diver.[41]

Men

Gymnastics[edit]

Sri Lanka’s gymnastics team consisted of eight athletes (three men and five women).[6]

Artistic[edit]

Sri Lanka’s artistic gymnastics team consisted of seven athletes (three men and four women).[6]

Men
Team Final & Individual Qualification
Athlete Event Apparatus Total Rank
F PH R V PB HB
Ruchira Fernando Team 11.200 12.000 10.250 13.150 11.250 10.700 68.550 20 Q
Malin Fernando did not start
Hansa Kumarasinghege — 9.050 4.150 10.100 — — — —
Total 11.200 21.050 14.400 23.250 11.250 10.700 91.850 10
Individual Finals
Women
Team Final & Individual Qualification
Individual Finals

Rhythmic[edit]

Sri Lanka entered one rhythmic gymnast.[6]

Individual Qualification

Sri Lanka entered five judoka (three men and two women).[42]

Rugby sevens[edit]

As of 28 November 2021, Sri Lanka qualified for both the men’s and women’s tournaments, for a total of 26 athletes (13 per gender). This was achieved after the country was the top ranked eligible nation during the 2021 Asia Rugby Sevens Series[43] and 2021 Asia Rugby Women’s Sevens Series respectively.[44] The women’s team will be making its Commonwealth Games debut.[44]

Summary

Men’s tournament[edit]

Sri Lanka’s men’s team faced Uganda in a placement round match.
Roster

The roster was officially named on April 25, 2022.[45]

Pool A

Source: Birmingham2022
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Head-to-head result; 3) Point difference; 4) Points scored.
Classification quarterfinals
13th-16th semifinals
13th place match

Women’s tournament[edit]

Roster

The roster was officially named on April 25, 2022.[45]

Pool A

Source: Birmingham2022
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Head-to-head result; 3) Point difference; 4) Points scored.
New Zealand  60–0  Sri Lanka
Try: Fluhler (2) 1′ c, 3′ c
Blyde (6) 2′ m, 5′ m, 6′ c, 7′ m, 10′ m, 13′ m
Hotham 8′ c
Nathan-Wong 9′ c
Con: Nathan-Wong (5/10) 1′, 3′, 6′, 8′, 9′		 Report
Canada  74–0  Sri Lanka
Try: Scurfield (5) 1′ m, 3′ m, 5′ c, 6′ m, 8′ m
De Couvreur (2) 4′ c, 7′ c
Farella 8′ c
Levale 10′ c
Logan 11′ m
Wardley (2) 12′ c, 14′ c
Con: Nicholas (5/8) 4′, 5′, 7′, 9′, 10′
Apps (2/3) 13′, 14′		 Report
Classification semifinals
Seventh place match

Sri Lanka’s four member squash team (two men and two women) was named on July 3, 2022.[46]

Singles
Doubles

Swimming[edit]

Sri Lanka entered two swimmers (one per gender).[41]

Weightlifting[edit]

At the conclusion of the rankings period on February 28, 2022, Sri Lanka qualified ten weightlifters (six men and four women).[47][48]Arshika Vijaybaskar later received a reallocated quota spot, increasing the team to 11 athletes (six men and five women).[49][50] However, Vijaybaskar was not on the final team list.[6]

Men
Women

Wrestling[edit]

On April 11, 2022, the Wrestling Federation of Sri Lanka selected six wrestlers (two men and four women) to compete at the games.[51][52] A sixth wrestler, Shanith Chathuranga, scheduled to compete in the 74 kg, left the athletes village, and was believed to have fled.[53]Nethmi Poruthotage won a bronze medal in the Women’s 57 kg event, marking the country’s first ever medal in the sport of wrestling and becoming the youngest ever Sri Lankan medalist at the Commonwealth Games.[54]

Freestyle

Concerns and controversies[edit]

The participation of Sri Lanka at the games came at a critical juncture, especially with Sri Lanka facing its worst financial and economic crisis since independence. The athletes who are competing had endured severe difficulties to move on with their usual lifestyles and faced constraints with regard to training due to fuel shortages.[55][56][57][58]

There were concerns raised by citizens and critics over Sri Lanka sending huge number of athletes for the 2022 Commonwealth Games at a time when Sri Lanka is in dire situation and foreign exchange crisis. Sri Lanka Cricket stepped in voluntarily during the need of the hour by financing the accommodation and travelling costs and expenses of participants and officials worth LKR 20 million.[59]

As of 4 August 2022, at least 3 members of the Sri Lankan contingent are reportedly missing from the villages including a female judoka and a male wrestler.[60][61] Sri Lankan administrators had asked its athletes and officials to hand over their passports ever since the news broke out regarding missing competitors.[62][63]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

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  3. ^ Dhambarage, Chris (1 July 2022). “Sri Lanka to field more female athletes at Commonwealth Games”. Daily News. Lake House. Retrieved 1 July 2022.
  4. ^ Premalal, Susil (1 July 2022). “Sri Lanka to send 164-member contingent for Birmingham Commonwealth Games”. Daily Mirror. Colombo, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 1 July 2022.
  5. ^ Premalal, Susil (19 July 2022). “No table tennis for Sri Lanka at Commonwealth Games”. Daily Mirror. Colombo, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
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  11. ^ Wason, Ian (11 November 2021). “T&T MEN’S 3X3 BASKETBALL TEAM QUALIFIES FOR 2022 COMMONWEALTH GAMES”. Wason Audio Visual Entertainment. Archived from the original on 11 November 2021. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
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  13. ^ Kaluarachchi, Anjana (26 April 2022). “SLA selects teams for Commonwealth and Asian Games”. Ceylon Today. Colombo, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 26 April 2022.
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