Sri Lanka at the South Asian Athletics Championships 2025 in Ranchi, India.

Strong medal tally

Sri Lanka finished second overall, securing a total of 40 medals: 16 gold, 14 silver and 10 bronze. (hirunews.lk)

This result signifies a major achievement for the country’s athletics contingent in the South Asian region.

Stand-out performances

Several athletes delivered standout results:

• Sprinter Fathima Shafiya Yamick (age 26) lit up the championships by winning three golds — the women’s 100 m, 200 m and the 4×100 m relay — all in meet-record times. (ceylonathletics.com)

  • 100 m: 11.53 s, new meet record (hirunews.lk)

  • 200 m: 23.58 s, new meet record (ceylonathletics.com)

  • 4×100 m Relay: 44.70 s for the gold and meet record (hirunews.lk)

• On the men’s side, Chamod Yodasinghe claimed the 100 m gold in 10.30 s, anchoring a dominant sprint showing. (ceylonathletics.com)

• In relays, Sri Lanka sealed gold in both the men’s 4×100 m (39.99 s) and the women’s 4×100 m (44.70 s) events. (SL Sports)

• Other notable golds:

  • Madushani Herath won both the women’s long jump and the women’s triple jump. (ceylonathletics.com)

  • Nadeesha Dilhani Lekamge claimed gold in the women’s javelin with a throw of 60.14 m. (ceylonathletics.com)

  • Kalinga Kumarage took gold in the men’s 400 m (46.21 s) and helped relay efforts. (SL Sports)

  • Rumesh Tharanga won the men’s javelin gold (84.29 m) and was named Best Male Athlete of the championships. (ceylonathletics.com)

Context & significance

• The performance underlines Sri Lanka’s strong position in South Asian athletics—particularly in sprinting and jumps.

• The meet-records set by Yamick and others highlight that Sri Lankan athletes are not just winning but pushing boundaries.

• Finishing second overall means that only one nation—likely host India—outpaced them in terms of golds. (The Times of India)

• The diversity of medal-winning events (sprints, hurdles, relays, jumps and throws) indicates a breadth of strength, not just isolated excellence.

Challenges & take-aways

• While many golds came, the silver and bronze tallies suggest there are still marginal gains to be made—turning silvers into golds will be key moving forward.

• Some stories of administrative or logistical snags emerged—for instance athletes unable to compete due to late travel or visa issues. (ceylonathletics.com)

• Continued investment in coaching, facilities and international exposure will be vital if Sri Lanka is to convert regional success into wider Asian / global competitiveness.

What this means for Sri Lankan athletics

• A morale boost: The haul will inspire younger athletes and reinforce belief that Sri Lanka can dominate regionally.

• Benchmarking: The meet-record performances provide target times/distances for national training programs.

• Focus areas: Relay teams, sprint depth, and throws/jumps appear particularly strong; these may become focal points of development.

• Strategic opportunity: With this momentum, Sri Lanka could aim higher at the next Asian Championships and beyond.

This was a big haul for Sri Lanka — 40 medals, 16 of them gold.

It marks a high point in recent regional athletics, showcasing both elite individual performances and collective strength across disciplines.

If leveraged well — through smart support systems, training continuity, and international exposure — this success could herald the next phase of Sri Lankan athletics.