Thursday, 22 October 2026 00:07 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Silver medallist Galina Basnayake (left) at the winners’ podium
By Hishan Welmilla Sri Lanka enjoyed a competitive day at the Asian Para Games 2026, with Galina Basnayake claiming a silver medal in swimming while several other athletes delivered determined performances, narrowly missing out on podium finishes in their respective events. Basnayake secured silver in the Women’s S9 Freestyle final, clocking an impressive 4:59.58. The Sri Lankan swimmer produced a significant improvement on her previous time of 5:08.47, shaving 8.89 seconds off her earlier mark. China’s Jaialing Xu claimed the gold medal, finishing ahead of the Sri Lankan competitor. Basnayake’s achievement provided a significant boost to Sri Lanka’s campaign, highlighting the progress of the country’s para-swimmers against strong competition from across Asia. However, Sri Lanka’s much-anticipated para-athlete Janani Dhananjana narrowly missed out on a medal in the Women’s T47 100m final, finishing fourth in 12.60 seconds. China’s Jie Shan won the gold medal with a time of 12.36 seconds. Despite entering the event with hopes of securing a podium finish, Dhananjana was unable to convert her determined performance into a medal. Nevertheless, her effort reflected her competitive spirit as she continued to represent Sri Lanka on the international stage. In the men’s swimming competition, Naveed Rahim also finished just outside the medal positions, placing fourth in the Men’s S9 Freestyle event with a time of 4:33.27. Although he missed out on a podium finish, Rahim’s performance further demonstrated Sri Lanka’s competitiveness in para-swimming at the Games. Sri Lanka also recorded a fourth-place finish in the Men’s F40 Shot Put, where Maleesha Deshan registered a distance of 9.34 metres. Deshan put up a competitive effort against some of Asia’s leading para-athletes but fell short of securing a medal. Meanwhile, Mohamed Safran finished eighth in the Men’s T47 100m final, clocking 11.35 seconds. Although he was unable to challenge for a medal, Safran achieved a personal milestone by recording his personal best time in the event, providing an encouraging highlight to his campaign. Basnayake’s silver medal stood out as the highlight of the day for Sri Lanka, while the close finishes recorded by Dhananjana, Rahim and Deshan underlined the narrow margins separating the athletes from podium success. Despite a mixture of medal-winning success and near misses, Sri Lanka’s para-athletes continued to demonstrate determination, resilience and commitment at the Asian Para Games 2026, gaining valuable experience while representing the country on the continental stage.
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