22 Facts About Damayanthi Dharsha

Deshabandu Kobala Vithanage Damayanthi Dharsha-Kobalavithanage was born on 13 February 1975 and is a retired Sri Lankan athlete who competed in the 200 and 400 metres race events.

Damayanthi Dharsha represented Sri Lanka at the Olympics on three occasions in 1992,2000 and 2004.

Damayanthi Dharsha represented Sri Lanka at the Commonwealth Games on four occasions in 1994,1998,2002 and 2006 as well as at the South Asian Games on four occasions.

Damayanthi Dharsha started competing in track and field events since the age of 13 in 1988 after joining the Panadura Balika Maha Vidyalaya.

Damayanthi Dharsha obtained scholarship to join the Ladies' College, Colombo in 1991 due to her success in athletics at the school level competitions.

Damayanthi Dharsha married Eranda Siriwardane in 2003 and has three children.

Damayanthi Dharsha gained her first international experience at the 1991 Malaysian Open.

Damayanthi Dharsha made an initial impact at just 16 years when she won the 100 metres gold medal at the 1991 South Asian Games in Colombo with a new record.

Damayanthi Dharsha eventually won the national titles in both women's 100m and 200m events at the 1991 National Athletics Championships.

Damayanthi Dharsha was chosen to represent Sri Lanka as a first-choice athlete at the 1992 Summer Olympics at the age of 17 and became the youngest Sri Lankan to compete at the Olympics.

Damayanthi Dharsha claimed her first international medal during the 1993 Asian Athletics Championships securing a silver medal in the 200m event with a timing of 23.29 seconds.

Damayanthi Dharsha claimed gold medal in the 100m event at the 1994 Asian Junior Athletics Championships and set a new Asian Junior Championships record in the women's 100m event with a timing of 11.42 seconds.

Damayanthi Dharsha won the bronze medal in the 200 metres behind Chinese Taipei's Wang Huei-Chen and teammate Susanthika Jayasinghe at the 1994 Asian Games in Hiroshima.

Damayanthi Dharsha had a remarkable run in 1998 claiming three gold medals at the Asian regional competitions.

Damayanthi Dharsha claimed her first gold medal in her career in the women's 400m event at the 1998 Asian Athletics Championships and followed it up with gold medals in women's 200m and 400m events at the 1998 Asian Games.

Damayanthi Dharsha made her second appearance at the Olympics in her athletic career in 2000 after failing to qualify for the 1996 Olympics.

Damayanthi Dharsha was the flag bearer for Sri Lanka during the opening ceremony of the 2000 Sydney Olympics at the age of 25.

Damayanthi Dharsha held the record for being the youngest ever Sri Lankan flag bearer at the Olympics until it was surpassed by Milka Gehani at the 2020 Summer Olympics.

Damayanthi Dharsha defended her 400m title at the 2000 Asian Athletics Championships with a new Asian Championship record of 51.05 seconds and claimed gold medal in the 200m event during the Asian Championships in the same year.

Damayanthi Dharsha successfully defended her 400m gold medal at the 2002 Asian Games in Busan.

Damayanthi Dharsha made her third and final Olympic appearance at the 2004 Summer Olympics.

Damayanthi Dharsha represented Sri Lanka along with former veteran cricketer Mahela Jayawardene in a ten-team celebrity street cricket game during the opening ceremony of the 2019 Cricket World Cup.