Kumudu Priyanka will create history as Sri Lanka’s only female athlete for the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics, which will be held in the Japanese city from August 24 to September 5.
In addition, the 33-year-old athlete is only the second Sri Lankan Women’s competitor after Amara Indumathi to represent the country in the history of Paralympics Games.
Indumathi represented Sri Lanka at the 2012 and 2016 Paralympics in London and Rio de Janeiro respectively.
Priyanka’s participation at the Tokyo Paralympics is even more significant because she is the only civilian in the nine-member Sri Lankan contingent.
The rest of the eight competitors are all attached to the Sri Lanka Army and Sri Lanka Navy.
At the age of 16 years, Priyanka was an innocent victim of a hand grenade and the result was the loss of vision in one eye and both her wrists.
Priyanka, who is attached to the MAS Holdings, will compete in the T45/46 100m, and long jump events after having qualified for the Games through a Bipartite Invitation.
She won a Bronze Medal at the 2018 Asian Games long jump with a leap of 4.51m and reached her personal best of 4.89m at the World Para Athletics Grand Prix in Dubai, UAE last February.
Priyanka first participated at the Para Athletic Championship in 2006 and won Gold Medals in long jump and 100m events at the 2018 National Para Athletic Championship. She will be accompanied by her Coach Arjan Ratnayake.