Sri Lankan powerlifter Ransilu Jayathilake has made history by winning a gold medal at the Arnold Sports Festival held in the United States, marking a significant milestone for Sri Lanka in the competition’s 37-year history.
Competing in the 120KG Pro category, Jayathilake secured the victory by successfully lifting 320 kilograms in the deadlift event, delivering a record-setting performance and becoming the first Sri Lankan to win gold at the prestigious international strength sports competition.
The Arnold Sports Festival is being held in Columbus, Ohio this weekend, bringing thousands of athletes, fans and fitness enthusiasts from across the world to the Greater Columbus Convention Center for one of the largest multi-sport events in the world.
The annual festival, founded by Arnold Schwarzenegger and the late Jim Lorimer, long-time mayor and vice mayor of Worthington, features competitions ranging from bodybuilding and powerlifting to boxing, martial arts and dance.
More than 20,000 athletes from around the world typically compete in dozens of sports, drawing hundreds of thousands of spectators over several days.
