Susanthika Jayasinghe (© Getty Images)
Busan, South KoreaSri Lankan Olympic and World championship medallist, Susanthika Jayasinghe has confirmed that she is both physically and mentally ready in her attempt to go for a sprint double at the 14th Asian Games here in this South Korean harbour city, as the track and field competition of the 44-nation Games gets underway at the main Asiad Sajik stadium today.
Jayasinghe will be seen in action for the first time here in the women's 100m event, which will be run off as a direct semi-final on Tuesday morning.
"I am here to win and I am ready to go for my goals," a determined Jayasinghe said after a long work out at the nearby training venue.
Jayasinghe will be taking part in her third successive Asian Games. Having completed a sprint double at the 1993 Asian Junior Athletic Championships in Jakarta as a teenager, Jayasinghe made a dream debut at the 1994 12th Asian Games in Hiroshima, Japan with a women's 200m silver medal.
Yet the last Asian Games in Bangkok, Thailand in 1998 were a bitter experience for her, as she had to withdraw after the first round of the women's 100m heats complaining of a hamstring injury.
But today, Jayasinghe is much stronger and confident, a mature athlete who is ready to go for that elusive missing medal - an Asian Games gold. Yet she wants to make it a 'golden double' in women's 100m and 200m.
"I have been looking forward to a gold medal at Asian Games ever since I had an unfortunate exit in Bangkok four years ago. I thought those setbacks were temporary. I am in Korea with a very good lead-up to my events and I really look forward to making this a memorable one and to make my country proud."
Jayasinghe has plenty of reasons to confidently settle into the blocks here with high morale. Having won Sri Lanka's first ever Olympic track and field medal in Sydney, Jayasinghe has shown tremendous form recently, winning medals at IAAF World Cup in Spain last month (bronze in 100m and fourth in 200m), Asian Athletic Championships in Colombo last month (two golds in 100m and 200m), and winning both the Osaka and Yokohama Grand Prix meets.
Her only setback during this period was at the Commonwealth Games in Manchester, where after taking fourth at the 100m, she was disqualified for running outside her lane after winning her 200m heat in 22.61.
Jayasinghe said she is working on a schedule originally drawn up for her by her American coach, Tony Campbell, the man who guided her to the Olympic 200m bronze.
"I have been following my schedules. I am happy with the progress I have made so far and the things are going on well at the moment. But I am not going to take things lightly. I expect a tough competition from the women sprinters in 100m and 200m and to emerge the winner at the end."
The Lankan sprint queen, who has taken the Indian ocean island to great heights in the world of athletics, said she has been making her final preparations with her local coach Dervin Perera, who guided her to win the IAAF World Championship 200m silver medal in Athens, 1997.
Dinesh Weerawansa for the IAAF