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The sport of weightlifting also known as Olympic Weightlifting is when the weightlifter attempts to lift a maximum weight of a loaded barbell overhead in one single lift. The two styles of lifts in competition are:
1. Snatch
2. Clean & Jerk
The weightlifter gets 3 attempts of each style to lift the maximum load. The maximum loads lifted of the 3 attempts for each style is totaled to determine the final result for the respective bodyweight category of the weightlifter. Both lifts must be successfully completed to be totaled for the final result.
The Perception of Weightlifting When one thinks of weightlifting usually the image that comes to mind is a big brawny man heaving and hoisting a huge barbell overhead. The truth is actually different. The technique and explosiveness used in Olympic weightlifting involve a lot of coordination between the mind, muscles and skeletal structure. It is not merely brute strength that is tested in this sport of strength. So weightlifters come in different weight categories and yes women weightlifters are beginning to dominate this sport that was once perceived as a man’s domain.
Fitness & Sports is very happy to introduce to our readers the bright young women of the Sri Lanka Weightlifting Federation who from humble backgrounds have great potential to bring glory to our motherland. Here they are…
The Strong Ladies
B. C. Priyanthi
is 22 years old and is Sri Lanka’s number 1 weightlifter and record holder in the 69 kg weight category and represents the Sri Lanka Navy.
She is the first Sri Lankan woman in her weight class to hoist a total of 175 kg from her 2 lifts. She was also the first Sri Lankan woman to lift 100kg at the 2015 Asian Weightlifting Championship in Thailand. A remarkable feat for this young lass from Matara.
Priyanthi started the sport 4 years ago when she was 18 years old. Prior to lifting heavy loads she was in the Sri Lanka Cricket Development Squad. Due to personal financial constraints she was unable to meet the expenses for this sport. She lost her father when she was a baby and was raised by her mother and grandmother. One day she was approached by the weightlifting coach of the Ruhunu Vishya Vidyala campus Mr. Palitha Weerasinghe who encouraged her to take up the sport of weightlifting as he saw potential in her strong build.
After 6 months of taking up weightlifting she became Sri Lanka’s number 2 weightlifter in the 63 kg weight category at the nationals. At the Junior Nationals in 2012 she bagged the Sri Lanka
Record for a 58 kg Snatch in her weight category. Then her coach Mr Palitha Weerasinghe who first identified her talent handed her over to the Sri Lanka National Coach Mr R B Wickramasinghe. She has represented Sri Lanka in weightlifting since 2012. In the recently held Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships held in Pune, India, Priyanthi won the Bronze Medal in her weight category.
Priyanthi’s Goals:
- To win the Gold Medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
- To win the Gold Medal at the 2020 Olympic Games.
Thanks and Appreciations go to her mother, grandmother and her elder brother who have supported and encouraged her immensely. She also thanks her first coach Mr. Palitha Weerasinghe who identified her talent and groomed her to the national level. After she joined the national squad her coach Mr. Wickramsinghe has played an important role in bringing her up to international standards. She also wishes to thank the assistant coach Mr. P. K. G. N. Dayan who helps in her training. She is confident that she can go a lot further in this sport with her team.
S. Kumarasinghe
is 26 years old and hails from Tangalle. She represents the Sri Lanka Air Force.
She has won a Gold medal at the 2012 Nationals in the 69kg weight category lifting a total of 145kg. In 2013 Samanga was a member of the Sri Lanka Weightlifting Team that went to Thailand for the Kings Cup.
She won Gold in the 2014 Nationals in the 69kg weight category for a grand total of 155kg. Samanga is a record holder in the 69kg weight category in the 2014 Sri Lanka Sports Festival lifting a total of 150kg. She also won the Best Player for The Southern Province in the Sports Festival. Samanga won 4th place at the recently held Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships held in Pune, India.
Samanga’s Goals:
- To win a Gold Medal in the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
- To go for Gold at the 2020 Olympics.
Chamari Warnakulasuriya
is 24 years old and comes from Minuwangoda in the Gampaha District.
She represents the Sri Lanka Navy. Chamari started her sports career practicing Karate and has achieved a Brown Belt. As part of her Karate training, Chamari used to come to the Sports Ministry Gym at the Torrington Grounds. It was here that the Sri Lanka Weightlifting Coach Mr Wickramasinghe identified her potential for the sport because of her strong body structure and asked her to try weightlifting. He handed her to Mr. T. M. U. B. Jayatilake one of the assistant coaches to train her.
Chamari won her school meet in the 2008 in the 48 Kg weight category. She set a new school record for the clean and jerk. In 2011 she took part in the National Weightlifting Championship and was awarded the Best Weightlifting Women’s Athlete and did the same in the National Sports Festival held that year.
In 2014, Chamari was selected for the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland for the 48kg weight category. She set a new Snatch record in the 2014 National Sports Festival. At the last Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships held in Pune, India, Chamari placed 4th in her weight category.
Goals
- To win a Medal in the 53kg category at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
- To qualify for the 2020 Olympics.
Chamari is grateful to her family and her coaches Mr. Wickramasinghe (National Coach), Mr. T. M. U. B. Jayatilake, Mr. Emil, and Mr. Poorna Kahingala who have all coached and supported her.
Shani Anushika Kaluthanthri
is from Walasmulla Matara and studied in Walasmulla National College.
She started the sport of Weightlifting in 2009 and represents the Sri Lanka Army. Shani began her sports career competing in the Putt Shot and Discus events. Her first weightlifting coach at school was Mr. Asanga Perera when she was 15 years old. She trained with him for 4 years and then she joined the Sri Lanka Army and trained under Mr. Wickramasinghe who is the Sri Lanka National Coach.
In 2009 she won the Gold Medal at the National Sports Festival and in 2010 she set up a new Sri Lanka record at the National Sports Festival. In 2011, 2012 and 2013 Shani won the Silver Medal at the National Sports Festival. In the 2015 Weightlifting Championships she won Silver and set a new record for the snatch.
Goals
- To make the team for the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
Shani is thankful to her wonderful parents, her 1st coach Mr. Asanga Perera who guided her to the sport of weightlifting, Ms. Priyanthi, the sports officer in her province, Mr. Wickramasinghe the National Coach, Sergeant Dilip the Sri Lanka Army Weightlifting Coach and all her colleagues.
Sanjeewani Maddumakumari
is 22 years old and comes from a village in Aranayaka. She studied in Dippitiya Rajagiriya Vidyala.
Sanjeewani represents the Sri Lanka Army. She was raised by her mother and her 2 elder brothers. She began her sporting career competing in the long jump and the triple jump. Mr. S. A. Sumanasuraweera who introduced her to the sport of weightlifting.
Sanjeewani won 1st place in her maiden school weightlifting competition thereafter she won most of her school meets. For the last 3 years she has won 2nd place at the Nationals.
Goals
- To perform well and represent Sri Lanka in the Commonwealth Championships.
Weightlifting Comes to Jaffna
The sport of weightlifting was introduced to Jaffna in 2011 through the Kreeda Shakthi programme done by the department of Sports Development under the Ministry of Sports. In this programme there was a weightlifting coaching camp that was Jaffna’s first taste of this sport. However, there have been small bodybuilding gyms in and around Jaffna for some time. Even though facilities have been very basic, there has always been an interest in the iron game in the peninsula.
Dineja J.J. Payus comes from Pandateruppu, Jaffna and is 18 years old. In 2013, participating in her first meet she won the Gold Medal at the Novices in the 63kg weight category lifting a total of 95kg. Dineja repeated her success by winning the Gold Medal at the School Nationals in the 63kg weight category lifting a total of 108kg. In 2014 Dineja won the Best Lifter Award in the School Nationals in her weight category of 63kg. She lifted a total of 118kg. Dineja moved up to the 69kg weight category in 2015 and won the Silver Medal at the Sports Festival after lifting a total of 118kg. Last year she competed again in the 63kg weight category and won Silver at the Nationals increasing her total lift to 123kg. In 2013 Dineja became a member of the Sri Lanka Weightlifting Squad. The 2015 Weightlifting Commonwealth Championships in Pune, India was her first international meet. She competed in the Junior Meet in the Under 20 age category and won the Bronze Medal.
Prior to taking up weightlifting Dineja played basketball and participated in athletics. Dineja attends Vembadi Girls High School and was introduced to the sport of weightlifting through her teacher who put her in touch with her coach Mr. A. Vithan. He took her to her first weightlifting meet. Currently she trains at Central College in Jaffna.
Dineja is grateful to her mother and her siblings for their support and encouragement along with her coach Mr. A Vithan in Jaffna along with the National Coaches. She appreciates her colleagues from the weightlifting team for their encouragement.
Dineja’s Goals
- To sit for the Advanced Level examinations this year successfully and eventually become a lawyer.
- Win the Gold Medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games and then aim for the Gold Medal at the 2020
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