GOLD MEDAL for Sri Lanka at Tokyo Paralympic Games with a World Record

Sri Lanka’s Dinesh Priyantha won the first Gold Medal for Sri Lanka at the Tokyo Paralympics after he set a new World Record in the Men’s F46 Javelin Throw with a distance of 67.79m.

He becomes the first ever Sri Lankan to win a gold medal at the Paralympics.

India’s Devendra Jhajharia won silver in the event with a throw of 64.35 while India’s Sundar Singh Gurjar bagged bronze with an effort of 64.01 in the Men’s Javelin Throw F46 Final.

Sri Lanka’s Dinesh Priyantha managed to surpass the previous world record of 63.97 meters set by India’s Devendra Jhajharia at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio.

Sergeant Dinesh Priyantha Herath sustained injuries in enemy fire on 16 December 2008 when he was fighting against LTTE terrorists in Kilinochchi area.

Enlisted to the Army on 18 March 2004 as a recruit and completed basic training at Gajaba Regiment at Saliyapura. After his injuries, he actively took part in Army-organized Para Athletic training events at the GR Regimental HQ.

In 2012, he won Gold in Javelin Throw (52 m) in Army Para Athletic Meet, First place in Malaysia’s Para Athletic Meet (52.95 m) in 2012, Second Place in Germany’s Para Athletic (Qualifying) Meet (53.09m) in 2017 and again the Second Place in London Para Athletic Meet-2017 recording 59.90m in the same Javelin Throw event.