Sri Lanka Army-produced reputed athlete of international standards, Warrant Officer-I, D.A.D.P.S Amarasekara who reached dazzling heights in the sphere of Asian Grand Prix Athletic Tournaments and elsewhere, bringing honour to the Army, bade farewell to the field of athletics on Wednesday (20) during a formal felicitation ceremony plus a media briefing at Ministry of Sports Auditorium. His Sri Lanka Artillery Regiment (SLA), in coordination with Sri Lanka Athletic Association and Army Athletics Committee Wednesday (20), felicitated him for his outstanding athletic achievements in the past 13 years by awarding cash gifts on the eve of his departure from athletics.
Sri Lanka Athletic Association and Ministry of Sports presented him with separate cash gifts to the value of Rs 14.5 lakhs while the Sri Lanka Artillery Regiment awarded him a separate cash gift of Rs 5 lakhs, to be used for construction of a new house.
The felicitation ceremony started off after screening a documentary that depicts the spate of his laudable achievements in the field of athletics before Major General R.M.D Ratnayake, Chairman, Sri Lanka Athletic Association, in his introductory remarks spelt out the reasons behind organizing this felicitation ceremony with the blessings of the Ministry of Sports.
Separate felicitation speeches, delivered by Hon Mahindananda Aluthgamage, Minister of Sports, his coach and a senior SLA officer, followed the moving vote of thanks of the day’s protagonist, Warrant Officer-1, Prasanna Amarasekara who spoke high of the moral support he received from the Army for promotion of his athletic skills. A brief media interaction after presentation of cash vouchers to him culminated the day’s proceedings.
Since his participation in international 400 m events after he joined the Army in 2000, Warrant Officer-I Amarasekara, more popularly, known as ‘Prasanna’ among sports fraternity, has secured 10 Golds, 13 Silvers, 7 Bronze medals in the reputed Asian Grand Prix Athletic Tournaments.
In addition, he secured two Asian Gold medals, three Silver and two Bronze medals in the Asian Athletic Tournaments. In the year 2011, he once again won a Bronze in the Asian Athletic Tournament.
Similarly, he showed his colours in the 400 m event in 2005 to reach Olympic standards (‘A’ grade) by finishing the race in 45.47 seconds. Likewise, the 20.8 second record he made in the 200 m event in the Inter Regiment Athletic Tournament remains still unchallenged.
To his credit, he produced a new 200 m record in the 2005 Inter Regiment Athletic Tournament, claiming a Gold medal. In 2004, 2007 and 2009 Inter Regiment Athletic Tournaments, Warrant Officer-I Prasanna Amarasekara, emerged victorious in the 200 m and carried Gold medals.
