The athletic team which is to represent Sri Lanka at the Asian Athletics Championship posed for a photograph with officials of the Sri Lanka Athletic Association and the Sports Ministry at the ministry premises on Thursday. Manjula Kumara, who will join the team in China, was not present. Back row, from left: Prasanna Amarasekara, K.K. Seneviratne, Rohitha Pushpakumara, S.M. Weerasuriya, Mohamed Sameer, G.C.N. Gamage, U.G. Wickramasinghe and Yasasiri Ajith. Middle row from left: Dilhan Aloka, T.P.K. Mendis, D.A. Shashikala Samanmali, Pramila Priyadharshani, Shashiprabha Jayasinghe, Priyangika Madumanthi, Champika Dilrukshi, Achala Dias, N.C.D. Priyadharshani, Chandrika Subashini, Shehan Ambepitiya and Indika Bandara. Seated from left: Sajith Jayalal (Coach), Y.K. Kularatne (National Coach), W. Wijeratne (Representing the Sports Ministry), Prema Pinnawala (Secretary, SLAA) B. Dahanayake (Director of Sports), Chaminda Wijekoon (Captain), Leisha de Silva Chandrasena (Chairperson, Sri Lanka Telekom - sponsors), Palitha Fernando (President, SLAA), S.B. Madugalle (Manager), Roshini Bowatte (Lady Chaperone) and Ranjith Aluvihare (Assistant Manager). (Pic by Nishan S. Priyantha)

The Sri Lanka athletics team, captained by Chaminda Wijekoon will leave for China in batches from Saturday to take part in the 18th Asian Athletics Championship which will commence in Guangzhou, China, next Tuesday.

Wijekoon, the national record holder in the men’s 1500 metres, said that he is looking forward to better his personal best, in addition to the national, record when he competes in China.

"I am looking forward to better the Sri Lanka record with my personal best. That is the main target," Wijekoon told ‘The Island’ at the Sports Ministry.

The 22-member Sri Lanka team will leave for China in batches, with the first few athletes taking wing tomorrow.

Despite creating a new national record at the recently held National Championships, which was three seconds faster than the time returned by the gold medal winner at the last edition of the Asian Championship in Amman, team captain Wijekoon said that he will have a tough challenge in the 1500 metres in Guangzhou.

"Some of the world’s best athletes are expected to participate in the 1500 metres. The 1500 metre world champion is also from the Asian region. So it will be a tough challenge. But I am confident that I can ceate some ripples at the championship," Wijekoon said.

Wijekoon slashed his own Sri Lanka record (new record 3:43.80) in the men’s 1500 metres by .02 seconds at the National Championship after returning from IAAF high altitude training in Kenya.

The Sri Lanka team comprises 14 men and eight women athletes.