The life story of Women’s weightlifting.
When going back to the past, since women were afraid to get too masculine, weightlifting was not a concern among women. In past, women had the fear of getting too big thinking that it will cause them to be neglected by society. Nevertheless, with the achievements of female powerlifters in 1987, female bodybuilding in 1977, and the women’s weightlifting championship in 1987, this fear flew away. Women got impressed with weightlifting. Though women took part in weightlifting between the 1970s and 1980s, this was massively generalized in the 2000s. Fast forward now, it is one of the most favored of women.
Sri Lanka also got the influence of this fascinating game and has done tremendous remarks on women’s weightlifting history.
Importance of women’s weightlifting.
Women’s weightlifting causes various benefits to women. It develops better patterns of movements and RMR or Resting Metabolic Rate, reduces the risk of metabolic syndrome, and improves the density of bone minerals. Not only that, this helps to increase the self-confidence and personality of women.
Commonwealth women’s weightlifting -2022
Sri Lanka has got paramount achievements in the history of commonwealth women’s weightlifting, especially at the Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships. For instance, Srimali Samarakoon won the gold medal in 2021 at the Commonwealth Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. It is a great privilege to mention that there are four significant Sri Lankan weightlifters who are selected for the Commonwealth Games in women’s weightlifting for the year 2022.
Srimali Samarakoon
Srimali Samarakoon is a remarkable weightlifter, a young lady who has studied at Habarana Central College. She did her higher examinations at Mahamaya Girls School in 2016 and passed the GCE(A/L) examination. She got a massive chance to enter the University of Sri Jayawardenapura to do a degree course in Sports Science and Management.
In 2015, Srimali Samarakoon represented the Country at the Samoa Youth Commonwealth Games in the 46 Kg weight class and lifted a total of 125 Kg in the clean and jerk. She was selected for Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships and the World Weightlifting Championships 2021 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, and won the gold medal in the women’s 45kg category. During the same tournament she was successful in placing 9th in the world championship and will be representing Sri Lanka at her very first Commonwealth Games as just one of three University students in the Commonwealth Games contingent. She is also the current Sri Lankan record holder in the 48kg weight class.
Chamari Warnakulasooriya
Chamari Warnakulasooriya who is a great weightlifter was born in 1990 in the Colombo district. In the Olympic Weightlifting categories she holds the national records in the 55kg weight class. Chamari Warnakulasooriya is a competitor with numerous achievements on the world stage having achieved top 10 ranks in the Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships in 2013, 2016, 2015, and 2017 with her best performance being a 3rd place finish in 2015. Moreover, she placed just outside the medals at the 2018 Commonwealth Games finishing 4th and will no doubt be looking to go one step further in 2022
Thimali Haputhenna
Thimali Haputhenna, the great young weightlifter has gifted eminent achievements and has gained pride in our mother nation.
Thimali Haputhenna can be named as the only Sri Lankan silver medalist in the 2021 Commonwealth Weightlifting Championship where Sri Lanka achieved their most successful medal haul with one gold and five bronze medals in addition to Thimali’s silver. Thimali also won a Gold Medal for Women's Weightlifting - over 75kg at the 13th South Asian Games in Nepal. In the World Championships in 2021 which also doubled as the Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships, Thimali would set another National Record while finishing 13th in the World Championships
Chathurika Priyanthi
The outstanding weightlifter Chathurika Priyanthi has gained pride in the women’s weightlifting history of Sri Lanka. She was capable to participate and rank in many Commonwealths weightlifting games on behalf of Sri Lanka. In the Commonwealth Women’s Weightlifting Championship, she ranked 3rd in 2015, 7th in 2016, and 5th in 2017. This will be her second Commonwealth Games participation following a 9th place finish in 2018. Chathurika Priyanthi is such a multitalented persona, that she was selected to the Sri Lanka development of cricket squad and competed in athletics nationally.
The Sri Lankan women’s weightlifting contingent is in no way second to the men’s team and will be looking to cause a stir in Birmingham with several medal prospects looking to come to the fore!
.
Comments