Tough task for local athletes
[ATHLETICS] Big names including Susanthika Jayasinghe, a World Athletics Championships silver medallist from Sri Lanka, will be contesting the Asian Grand Prix Series in Bangkok on May 18 along with many medal-winning athletes from throughout Asia.
Sprinter Susanthika, who is favourite in the women's 200 metres, will be a big threat to Thai star Juthamas Thavorncharoen. The Sri Lankan has won a silver medal at the World Championships and a gold medal at the Asian Games. Besides Juthamas, uphill tasks await other Thai athletes in the one-day meet with their Asian rivals guaranteed to provide tough competition after winning medals in the SEA Games, Asian Games, Asian Championships and World Championships. Nungruthai Chaipetch, the local hope in the women's high jump, will be challenged by Vietnam's Bui Thi Nhung, a gold medallist at the 2005 SEA Games in the Philippines and the Asian Championships, and Tatiana Efimenko of Kyrgyzstan, the winner at the Asian Games four years ago. Elsewhere, Thailand's Watchara Sondee will take part in the men's 100m and Juthaporn Krasaeyan will compete in the women's shot put and discus. A SEA Games double gold medallist, Boonthung Srisung will show his strength in the men's 3,000m. The star-studded circuit will be staged in three legs, the first at the Supachalasai Stadium in Bangkok on May 18. India will host another two races on May 22 and 26.
Alitta Tangrungruengkit The Nation
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