49th National Games to begin today.

• The government’s aim is to create athletes who can win the international stage in all events…
• Many international tournaments are coming to Sri Lanka in the future…
• Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports. Sunil Kumara Gamage –

The 49th National Games organized by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and the Department of Sports Development began today (15) with the National Cross Country Race at the Nuwara Eliya Golf Course. This year’s National Games will consist of 33 events.

The event was attended by the Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Sunil Kumara Gamage, Deputy Minister of Sports, Sugath Thilakaratne, and heads of institutions such as the Department of Sports Development, the Institute of Sports Science, the Institute of Sports Medicine, the Deputy Anti-Doping Agency, etc.

Participating in the event, the Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Sunil Kumara Gamage, said that it is the responsibility and objective of the current government and the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports to produce the best athletes and take them to the international arena. Furthermore, the Minister said that in the future, he will work towards creating a sports culture in this country that is necessary to create advanced, disciplined and good citizens.

The Minister stated that he hopes to create a healthy, strong and prosperous youth through sports, which will reduce the serious temptation of the youth of this country to drugs.

Expressing his views further, the Minister said that participation is more important regardless of victory or defeat, and he congratulates all the athletes who participated. He expects everyone to contribute to the development of sports in this country and the Minister also said that several international tournaments to be held in the coming times have come to this country.

Compared to previous years, the participation of athletes in the national cross-country running event was high. Accordingly, this year, 88 male athletes participated, 10 from each province, and 50 athletes participated, 6 from each province.

National Cross Country Race Winners:

Women’s 10 Km

1. Methmi Wijesuriya – (Eastern Province/Ampara District) Bachelor’s Candidate, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka Army
2. Vatsala Madhushani Herath (Central Province/Kundala District) Sri Lanka Army
3. Chamini Samuddhika Herath (Central Province/Kundala District) Sri Lanka Army

Men’s 10 km

1. M. Sivarajan (Central Province/Nuwara Eliya District) 34:20.31 (Sri Lanka Air Force)
2. R. M. S. Pushpakumara (Western Province/Gampaha District) Sri Lanka Army (Sri Lanka Army)
3. R. A. D. H. Kumara (Western Province / Gampaha District) Sri Lanka Police