Sri Lanka's new sprint hope: Young Merone Wijesinghe targets a 2028 LA Olympic Games high

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Sri Lanka is best known for its cricketers but it has also produced world-class sprinters over the years. Susanthika Jayasinghe, who won Olympic and World Championships silver in the 200m during the late 1990s, and 400m runner Sugath Thilakaratne, a former Asian Games champion, are prime examples.

Now, a family from a Colombo suburb has set its sights on the global stage with their teenage sprinter son Merone Wijesinghe. They believe their son has the potential to become a world-class 100m runner, with the ultimate goal of reaching the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics final.

At 19, Merone is Sri Lanka's top junior sprinter. Last week, he clocked a personal best of 10.41 seconds to claim the title at the SAAF junior meet in Chennai. For his parents, Ananda Wijesinghe and Gayani Rajapakse, this victory is just the beginning. "He has the talent and determination to succeed," they said, as they watched their son cross the finish line. "Four years from now, we hope to see him among the 100m finalists at the LA Games."

To realise this dream, the family is taking bold steps to refine Merone's skills. They plan to send him to the USA next year, where he can compete in the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletics Association), known for producing top-tier sprinters. "The NCAA will provide him the best environment to sharpen his abilities," said Ananda, a former club-level rugby player.

While Merone Wijesinghe trains hard to build a career in athletics, his younger sisters, aged 18 and 16, are focused on their studies. In the last 16 months, Merone has improved his time from 10.65 to 10.41 seconds. But Ananda knows the next four years are crucial: "Talent alone isn't enough. You need high-quality coaching and support to excel on the global stage."

It all began in 2012 when Merone's parents noticed his talent at a school meet. "He dominated the 60m dash at an inter-school event," his proud mother recalled. "He also won the long jump and high jump, and that's when we first dreamt of the Olympics."

However, pursuing athletics has been a financial strain on the family. Despite Sri Lanka's history of producing sprinters, it still lacks proper facilities. The synthetic tracks near Colombo are in poor condition. The family relocated to the suburbs to give Merone better access to training facilities and ensure his father could easily commute to the airport for work. Ananda, who works for a USA-based garment company, often travels across Southeast Asia but makes time to oversee his son's training.

Merone's parents are deeply involved in his athletic journey. "We pay close attention to his meals, training, and recovery," said his mother. "Maintaining a steady weight is crucial for his performance, especially his starts off the blocks."

Ananda emphasised his son's mental strength: "He's determined and understands there are no shortcuts to success and hard work."

Recently, the family put up posters in Merone's room with "10.55 seconds" written on them, pushing him to aim for that time. "He ended up surpassing it, which shows the kind of focus he has," Ananda said proudly.

And what's next for Merone Wijesinghe? His mother might soon be putting up new posters, this time with the words "2028 LA 100m final" written across them, joked his father.