Yupun Abeykoon

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Yupun Abeykoon
Personal information
Full nameYupun Abeykoon Mudiyansalage
Born (1994-12-31) 31 December 1994 (age 26)
Negombo, Western Province, Sri Lanka
Sport
Event(s)100m
Medal record
Representing  Sri Lanka
men's Athletics
South Asian Games
Gold medal – first place 2019 Kathmandu 4×100m relay
Military World Games
Bronze medal – third place 2015 Mungyeong 4×100m relay

Mudiyansalage Yupun Abeykoon[1], simply known as Yupun Abeykoon also referred as Yupun Priyadarshana[2] (born 31 December 1994) is an Italian based Sri Lankan track and field athlete and a national record holder in men's 100m and in men's indoor 60m.[3][4] He currently resides in Italy as he went on a scholarship to Italy in 2015.[5] He is also attached to the Electronic and Mechanical Engineering Regiment of the Sri Lanka Army and represents Army Sports Club.[6] He is currently regarded as the fastest Sri Lankan man as well as fastest South Asian man in men's 100m discipline.[7][8]

He is also the first and only Sri Lankan to have competed at the Diamond League.

Biography[]

He was born in Negombo, Western Province near Pannala.[9] He pursued his primary education at the Pannala National School. He also pursued his interest in track and field events while studying at the Pannala National School.[10] He later switched to the St. Joseph Vaz College, Wennepuwa at the age of 16 with the recommendation of his personal coach.[11] He also follows MotoGP.

Career[]

He represented Sri Lanka at the 2013 South Asian Junior Athletics Championships which was held in Ranchi. He competed at the 2015 Military World Games representing Sri Lanka and took bronze medal in men's 4×100m relay event.[12] He underwent training at Fiammegialle Sports Centre in Italy when he was on his scholarship in Italy. He also represented Sri Lanka at the 2019 South Asian Games and claimed gold medal in the men's 4 × 100 m relay event.[9] He was also part of the team consisting of , Himasha Eashan and Vinoj Suranjaya which set new national and South Asian Games record in men's 4 × 100 m relay event during the 2019 South Asian Games.[13]

On 8 September 2020, he shattered the South Asian record as well as national record held by Himasha Eashan in men's 100m event with a timing of 10.16 seconds after winning an athletic competition which was held in Dessau, Germany.[14][15] He surpassed the previous best of 10.22 held by fellow compatriot Himasha Eashan.[16][17] He also earned the nickname "South Asia's fastest man" after breaking the South Asian record in men's 100m event.[18][6] On 26 September 2020, he claimed a bronze medal in the men's 100m event with a timing of 10.24 seconds at the Gala dei Castelli as a part of the World Athletics Bronze Level Series Meet which was held in Switzerland.[19][20][21] His bronze medal achievement during the 2020 Gala dei Castelli made him the first Sri Lankan sprinter after 1990s to be placed among the top three in a running event at a competition when running alongside top European and African sprinters.[22]

In January 2021, he renewed his own personal and national Sri Lanka 60m indoor record with a timing of 6.59 seconds at the Italian indoor championship. He surpassed his own national indoor record of 6.78 seconds which he achieved in 2017.[23] On 13 May 2021, he renewed his own personal as well as the national record for men's 100m event by clocking at 10.15 seconds which he set during the Meeting di Savona Championship in Italy.[24][5][25] In the same month (on 21 May 2021), he bettered his own personal record in the men's 100m event by clocking at 10.09 seconds which he achieved in the 100m final at the Anhalt 2021 competition which was held in Dessau, Germany.[26][27] In June 2021, he skipped the World Athletic Continental Madrid Meet in Spain despite it being one of the Olympic qualifying competitions.[28][29]

As of June 2021, he reached his career best world ranking of 48 following a fourth place finish in the men's 100 event at the Golden Gala as part of the 2021 Diamond League Meet at Florence (Florence Diamond League).[30][31][32] He also became the first Sri Lankan to compete at the Diamond League.[33] He was ranked in 65th position in Road to Olympic Rankings prior to competing at the Rome Diamond League.[34] In the same month he also qualified to represent Sri Lanka at the 2020 Summer Olympics which was also his maiden Olympic appearance and competed in the men's 100m event.[35][36] He was also the first and only Sri Lankan to achieve direct qualification standards for the 2020 Summer Olympics.[37] He also became the first Sri Lankan to obtain direct qualification for the 100m event at the Olympics after 25 years since Chintaka de Zoysa's direct qualification at the 1996 Summer Olympics.[38][10] He was also the only Sri Lankan male track and field athlete to compete at the Tokyo Olympics.[39] On 31 July 2021, he completed his 100m race with a timing of 10.32 seconds in the Tokyo Olympics and was ranked sixth in the heat event and thus failed to qualify for the next round.[40][41][42] In August 2021, he was named as Sri Lanka's flagbearer by the National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka for the closing ceremony of the 2020 Summer Olympics.[43]

In September 2021, he competed in the Weltklasse Zürich which was part of the 2021 Diamond League and was placed at ninth position with a timing of 10.25 seconds in the men's 100m final.[44][45][46] This was also his second Diamond League meet appearance after previously competing at the Golden Gala meet.[47]

In media[]

A leading prominent Sri Lankan English-language newspaper edition called Sunday Observer was heavily criticised by few Sri Lankan politicians including Sri Lankan sports minister Namal Rajapaksa for insulting Yupun Abeykoon with the headline "Pathetic Yupun cuts a sorry figure" referring to his 6th place finish in the men's 100m heat event at the 2020 Summer Olympics.[48][49]

References[]

  1. ^ "Athletics MUDIYANSELAGE Yupun Abeykoon - Tokyo 2020 Olympics". .. Retrieved 2021-07-31.
  2. ^ "Yupun PRIYADARSHANA | Profile". www.worldathletics.org. Retrieved 2021-05-23.
  3. ^ "Yupun Abeykoon MUDIYANSELAGE | Profile". worldathletics.org. Retrieved 2020-09-09.
  4. ^ Japan, Dinesh Weerawansa reporting from. "Yupun Abeykoon has lot more to offer to Sri Lanka athletics". Daily News. Retrieved 2021-09-10.
  5. ^ a b Ratnaweera, Dhammika. "Yupun Abeykoon renews National and South Asian 100m records". Daily News. Retrieved 2021-05-15.
  6. ^ a b "Yupun Abeykoon fastest in South Asia - Sports | Daily Mirror". www.dailymirror.lk. Retrieved 2021-07-30.
  7. ^ "The Fastest Man in South Asia". Sunday Observer. 2021-05-28. Retrieved 2021-07-30.
  8. ^ "Olympics: Message from Yupun to fans ahead of his event "July 31st is the day"". NewsWire. 2021-07-29. Retrieved 2021-07-30.
  9. ^ a b "Sri Lankan bolt Abeykoon keeps raising the bar, eyes Tokyo". Sunday Observer. 2020-09-12. Retrieved 2021-05-23.
  10. ^ a b "Sprinting superstar at the Tokyo Olympics - Yupun Abeykoon". The Morning - Sri Lanka News. 2021-07-26. Retrieved 2021-07-30.
  11. ^ "South Asia's Fastest Man – Yupun Abeykoon". Nation Online. Retrieved 2021-07-30.
  12. ^ "Final results" (PDF).
  13. ^ "Sri Lankan sprinters set new relay SAG record - Sri Lanka Latest News". Sri Lanka News - Newsfirst. 2019-12-06. Retrieved 2021-05-23.
  14. ^ "Sprinter Yupun Abeykoon sets new Sri Lanka record". Hiru News. Retrieved 2020-09-09.
  15. ^ admin (2020-09-09). "Abeykoon sets new Sri Lanka and South Asia record | Colombo Gazette". Retrieved 2020-09-09.
  16. ^ "WATCH : Yupun Abeykoon breaks Sri Lanka & South Asia 100m record". NewsWire. 2020-09-08. Retrieved 2020-09-09.
  17. ^ "Yupun Abeykoon sets new South Asian record in 100m". Sri Lanka News - Newsfirst. 2020-09-09. Retrieved 2020-09-09.
  18. ^ Ranasinghe, Dinushki (2020-09-09). "South Asia's new fastest man – Yupun Priyadarshana". ThePapare.com. Retrieved 2021-05-23.
  19. ^ "Yupun wins Bronze in Switzerland". CeylonToday. Retrieved 2021-07-30.
  20. ^ "Yupun Abeykoon placed 3rd in 100m race held in Switzerland". CeylonToday. Retrieved 2021-07-30.
  21. ^ "Yupun wins third place in Switzerland". Daily News. Retrieved 2021-07-30.
  22. ^ "Yupun – Third among the best". The Morning - Sri Lanka News. 2020-09-17. Retrieved 2021-07-30.
  23. ^ "Yupun Abeykoon sets new indoor record". Sunday Observer. 2021-01-30. Retrieved 2021-05-15.
  24. ^ "Yupun sets new Sri Lanka record in 100m". www.adaderana.lk. Retrieved 2021-05-15.
  25. ^ "Yupun Abeykoon steps closer to Olympic berth with second place win". Sunday Observer. 2021-05-15. Retrieved 2021-06-29.
  26. ^ "Yupun Abeykoon records 10.09secs in Men's 100m". Print Edition - The Sunday Times, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 2021-05-23.
  27. ^ tharindu. "Abeykoon clocks 10.09 sec in the 100m". srilankamirror.com. Retrieved 2021-05-23.
  28. ^ Ratnaweera, Dhammika. "Abeykoon to run at Silver Meet in Spain". Daily News. Retrieved 2021-07-30.
  29. ^ "Abeykoon skips Madrid Meet". Daily News. Retrieved 2021-07-30.
  30. ^ Abeykoon and Ratnayake inch closer to Tokyo Olympics | Daily News
  31. ^ Nadeera, Dilshan. "Yupun within required world ranking to earn Olympic ticket". island.lk.
  32. ^ Ranasinghe, Dinushki (2021-06-18). "Yupun Abeykoon breaks into World Top 50". ThePapare.com. Retrieved 2021-06-29.
  33. ^ Ratnaweera, Dhammika. "Abeykoon misses Diamond League Bronze by a whisker". Daily News. Retrieved 2021-06-29.
  34. ^ "Yupun set to climb up Road to Olympic rankings". island.lk.
  35. ^ "Yupun, Nilani qualify for Tokyo Games". Daily News. Retrieved 2021-06-29.
  36. ^ Ranasinghe, Dinushki (2021-06-21). "Abeykoon jumps to 46th in Olympic shortlist for 100m". ThePapare.com. Retrieved 2021-06-29.
  37. ^ Abeykoon determined to improve his record | Daily News
  38. ^ Ratnaweera, Dhammika. "Yupun Abeykoon the only Sri Lankan athlete to get direct qualification for Tokyo Olympics". Daily News. Retrieved 2021-07-05.
  39. ^ "Yupun and Nimali hard practice for first round heats". Daily News. Retrieved 2021-07-30.
  40. ^ "Yupun Abeykoon placed 6th at Tokyo Olympics". Sri Lanka News - Newsfirst. 2021-07-31. Retrieved 2021-07-31.
  41. ^ "Athletics - Men's 100m Schedule | Tokyo 2020 Olympics". .. Retrieved 2021-07-31.
  42. ^ "Yupun's meteoric rise to 100m stardom". Print Edition - The Sunday Times, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 2021-08-04.
  43. ^ Japan, Dinesh Weerawansa reporting from. "Yupun Abeykoon Sri Lanka's flag-bearer at Olympics closing ceremony". Daily News. Retrieved 2021-08-04.
  44. ^ Ranasinghe, Dinushki (September 7, 2021). "Yupun Abeykoon to run at Zurich Diamond League".
  45. ^ Nadeera, Dilshan. "Rare opportunity for Yupun at today's Diamond League meet in Zurich". Retrieved 2021-09-10.
  46. ^ Ranasinghe, Dinushki (2021-09-09). "Yupun Abeykoon clocks 10.25 in Zurich Finals". ThePapare.com. Retrieved 2021-09-10.
  47. ^ "Yupun runs with worlds best and clocks 10.25 in Diamond League 100m final". Sri Lanka News - Newsfirst. 2021-09-09. Retrieved 2021-09-10.
  48. ^ "Pathetic Yupun cuts a sorry figure". Sunday Observer. Retrieved 2021-08-04.
  49. ^ bugsbunny (2021-08-02). "Ministers slam Government media for insulting athlete". Colombo Gazette. Retrieved 2021-08-04.

External links[]

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