Sri Lanka’s Samitha Dulan wins silver at Paris Paralympics

Sri Lanka’s Samitha Dulan Kodithuwakku won Silver in the Men’s Javelin Throw (F64) event of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.

With a personal best distance of 67.03 meters, Dulan also broke his own previous World Record (66.49m) in the process in the F44 category.

India’s Sumit Antil defended his gold medal in the Men’s Javelin Throw F64 category at Paris Paralympics with a throw of 70.59m, bettering his own Paralympic Games record, at the Stade de France in Paris on Monday.

Sumit began with a throw of 69.11m to break his own Paralympic Games record of 68.55m from Tokyo 2020. He bettered the mark again with an attempt of 70.59m in the next round.

Dulan Kodithuwakku clinched the silver medal, Sri Lanka’s first in the Paris Paralympic Games, with a throw of 67.03m, setting a new World Record in the F44 category. 

Australia’s Michal Buran took the bronze medal with 64.89m.

Kodituwakku had claimed a bronze medal at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games with a then personal best of 65.61 meters. He had also bagged a bronze medal at the World Para Athletics World Championship 2023 in Paris, France.

He clinched silver in the Men’s F44/F64 Javelin Throw at the World Para Athletics Championships in Kobe, Japan setting a new world record in the F44 category with a throw of 66.49 meters.

Kodithuwakku, who is a Corporal attached to the Military Police of the Sri Lanka Army, secured fourth place for the Men’s Javelin Throw - F46 at the World Para Athletics Championships 2019 and participated in Asian Para Games in Indonesia 2018, World Para Games 2019 in Dubai and National Para Games.

He joined Sri Lanka Army on 5th December 2009 and hails from Deniyaya.