Dinesh Priyantha

Herath Mudiyansalage Dinesh Priyantha, also simply known as Dinesh Priyantha (born 15 July 1986), is a Sri Lankan Paralympic track and field athlete who competes in javelin T46 events.^[3] He also served as an important member for the Sri Lanka Army during the Sri Lankan Civil War. He was disabled after being shot at his left arm during the final stages of the war.^[4] He is the defending Paralympic champion in men's javelin throw F46 category. On 30 August 2021, he became the first ever Sri Lankan to win a gold medal at the Paralympics when he won the men's javelin throw F46 category.^[5][6] He is the current Paralympic and World record holder in men's javelin throw for F46 category.

Dinesh Priyantha Herath

Priyantha at the 2017 World Para Athletics Championships
Personal information
Full name	Herath Mudiyansalage Dinesh Priyantha
Nationality	Sri Lankan
Born	(1986-07-15) 15 July 1986 (age 36) Kagama, Anuradhapura, North Central Province, Sri Lanka
Military career
Allegiance	Sri Lanka
Service/branch	Sri Lanka Army
Years of service	2004 – 2008
Rank	Warrant officer I
Unit	Gajaba Regiment
Sport
Country	Sri Lanka
Sport	Paralympic athletics
Disability class	T46
Event(s)	Javelin throw
Coached by	Pradeep Nishantha^[1]^[2]
Achievements and titles
Paralympic finals	2016 Rio de Janeiro 2020 Tokyo
Personal best(s)	WR 67.79 m (2021)
Medal record Men's athletics Representing  Sri Lanka Event 1st 2nd 3rd Paralympic Games 1 0 1 IPC World Championships 0 2 0 Asian Para Games 1 0 0 Total 2 2 1 Paralympic Games 2020 Tokyo Javelin throw F46 2016 Rio de Janeiro Javelin throw F46 IPC World Championships 2017 London Javelin throw F46 2019 Dubai Javelin throw F46 Asian Para Games 2018 Jakarta Javelin throw F46

Biography

He was born on 15 July 1986 in Kagama, Anuradhapura as the second child in his family. He attended the Kagama Dathusena Maha Vidyalaya for his primary and secondary education.^[7] He underwent hardships during his childhood after losing his father when he was just twelve years old.^[7]

Athletic career

He attended the selection trial with the intention to participate at the 2012 Summer Paralympics and secured gold medal in a championship event held in Malaysia. However, he did not qualify for the 2012 Paralympics as he was not included in the world rankings.

2016 Summer Paralympics

He represented Sri Lanka at the 2016 Summer Paralympics at the age of 29, which also marked his maiden Paralympic appearance and won a bronze medal in the men's javelin throw by clearing a distance of 58.23 meters.^[8][9] It was also the second ever Paralympic medal for Sri Lanka after Pradeep Sanjaya who won a bronze medal in the 2012 Paralympic Games.^[10][11] He was the first Sri Lankan Paralympian to win a Paralympic medal in the javelin event.^[12][13] He was also awarded the Best Para Sportsman of the Year at the 2016 Platinum awards, conducted by Newsfirst.

World Para Athletics Championships

In the 2017 World Para Athletics Championships, he won a silver medal in the javelin event and became the first Sri Lankan to win a silver medal at a World Para Athletics Championships.^[14][15] He also claimed silver medal in men's 46 category at the 2019 World Para Athletics Championships by clearing a distance of 60.59 meters.^[16][17][18]

Asian Para Games

He took part at the 2014 Asian Para Games and was placed sixth in the javelin throw event.^[7] He was appointed as the captain as well as the flag bearer for Sri Lanka at the 2018 Asian Para Games. During the 2018 Asian Para Games, he set a new Asian Para Games record in javelin throw of 61.84m to secure gold medal in the men's F46 javelin throw event.^{[19][20][21][22]}

2020 Summer Paralympics

He was appointed as the flag bearer and captain of the nine member Sri Lankan contingent for the 2020 Summer Paralympics.^[23][24][25] He clinched historic gold medal in the men's javelin throw F46 category with a new world record of 67.79 m.^[26][27][28] He claimed Sri Lanka's first ever Paralympic gold medal and also secured Sri Lanka's first medal at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics.^[29] He broke the F46 javelin throw world record which was previously held by India's Devendra Jhajharia when he claimed the gold medal.^[30] He also became the first Sri Lankan to win two Paralympic medals as well as the first and only Sri Lankan to have won a gold medal either in Olympics or Paralympics.^[31][32]

Army career

Herath served in the Sri Lankan Army Personnel, as a Corporal in the 3rd Gajaba Regiment. He joined the Sri Lankan Army at the age of 18 in 2004. Herath was wounded in Kilinochchi during the final stages of the brutal offensive operations to crush the LTTE on 16 December 2008 and retired from the Army on medical grounds at the age of 22.^[33][34] It was reported that three bullets had pierced his left arm which made him unable to engage in regular activities and was forced to spend his next four years at the Ragama Ranaviru Sevana for his treatment.^[35][36] He later went onto represent the country in sports as he was encouraged to do so by the high-ranking officials of the Gajaba Regiment in 2012.^[37] He was also felicitated and rewarded for creating history in the Paralympics event. After winning the Paralympic medal he quoted, having said that it was the Army officers who motivated him to continue the sports after he abandoned it. "I worked hard during the last six months and I saw my family members only four days during the past six months. After the battle injury, it was the Army officers who dragged me for training,".^[38][39]

On 30 August 2021, commander of the Sri Lankan Army Shavendra Silva promoted him as Warrant officer 1 with the approval of the Sri Lankan president Gotabaya Rajapaksa and secretary to the minister of defense Kamal Gunaratne following his gold medal triumph at the 2020 Summer Paralympics.^[40]

See also

• Sri Lanka at the Paralympics
• 2016 Summer Paralympics medal table
• 2020 Summer Paralympics medal table

References

1. Nadeera, Dilshan. "Throwers eager to create history at Tokyo Paralympics". Retrieved 2021-08-31.
2. "Herath's success in Tokyo no surprise says coach". Daily News. Retrieved 2021-08-31.
3. "Dubai 2019 - Dinesh Priyantha". International Paralympic Committee. from the original on 2019-12-25. Retrieved 2019-12-02.
4. "Dinesh Priyantha Herath Herath Mudiyanselage - Athletics | Paralympic Athlete Profile". International Paralympic Committee. Retrieved 2021-07-21.
5. "Sri Lanka's Dinesh Priyantha sets new world record in Men's Javelin Throw F46". www.adaderana.lk. Retrieved 2021-08-30.
6. . Tokyo 2020. Archived from the original on 2021-08-30. Retrieved 2021-08-30.
7. "Dinesh Priyantha - From outskirts of Anuradhapura to Paralympic medalist". CeylonToday. Retrieved 2021-07-21.
8. "Javelin thrower Dinesh Priyantha wins Sri Lanka's first Paralympic medal | Daily FT". www.ft.lk. Retrieved 2021-07-21.
9. "Dinesh Priyantha wins Javelin bronze at Rio Paralympics - Breaking News | Daily Mirror". www.dailymirror.lk. Retrieved 2021-07-21.
10. "Sri Lanka's Dinesh Priyantha Herath Wins Bronze Medal At 2016 Paralympics [VIDEO]". Retrieved 2017-03-14.
11. Peiris, Sudarshana (2016-09-14). "Dinesh Herath wins Sri Lanka's 2nd Paralympic medal". ThePapare.com. Retrieved 2021-07-21.
12. "Rio Paralympics: SL's Dinesh Herath wins bronze". Hiru News. Retrieved 2017-03-14.
13. "Sri Lanka's Herath clinches bronze at Rio Paralympics". Lanka Business Online. 2016-09-15. Retrieved 2017-03-14.
14. "Javelin thrower Dinesh Priyantha Herath bags Silver". The Sunday Times Sri Lanka. Retrieved 2017-07-18.
15. "Dinesh Priyantha wins Sri Lanka's first ever silver medal at the World Para Athletics". Daily News. Retrieved 2021-07-21.
16. "Dubai 2019 - Schedule & Results". International Paralympic Committee. Retrieved 2019-12-02.
17. Ratnaweera, Dhammika. "Herath wins a silver medal". Daily News. Retrieved 2021-07-21.
18. "Sri Lanka's Dinesh Priyantha Herath, with a distance of 60.59m, | Daily FT". www.ft.lk. Retrieved 2021-07-21.
19. "Dinesh Priyantha wins Gold with a new Asian record". ThePapare.com. 2018-10-11. Retrieved 2018-10-20.
20. "Dinesh Priyantha creates record in Javelin Throw". www.news.lk. Retrieved 2021-07-21.
21. "Dinesh Priyantha creates javelin throw record". Daily News. Retrieved 2021-07-21.
22. Peiris, Sudarshana (2018-10-11). "Dinesh Priyantha wins Gold with a new Asian record". ThePapare.com. Retrieved 2021-07-21.
23. /23-720596 "Sri Lanka to field 9 athletes for Tokyo Paralympics 2020 | Daily FT". www.ft.lk. Retrieved 2021-07-21. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)
24. "My goal is 2020 Paralympics medal: Dinesh Priyantha | Daily FT". www.ft.lk. Retrieved 2021-07-21.
25. "Sri Lanka to field 9 athletes for Tokyo Paralympics 2020". Print Edition - The Sunday Times, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 2021-07-21.
26. bugsbunny (2021-08-30). "Dinesh Priyantha sets a new world record at Paralympics". Colombo Gazette. Retrieved 2021-08-30.
27. "Dinesh sets a WORLD RECORD at Tokyo Paralympics". Sri Lanka News - Newsfirst. 2021-08-30. Retrieved 2021-08-30.
28. "WATCH: Sri Lanka's Dinesh Priyantha set a new world record at the Tokyo Paralympics". NewsIn.Asia. 2021-08-30. Retrieved 2021-08-30.
29. "Sri Lanka javelin thrower strikes gold, sets world record at 2020 Paralympics". EconomyNext. 2021-08-30. Retrieved 2021-08-30.
30. "War hero Dinesh Priyantha Herath scripts history for Sri Lanka". International Paralympic Committee. Retrieved 2021-08-30.
31. "Dinesh Priyantha becomes first Sri Lankan to win Paralympics Gold Medal after World record performance". NewsWire. 2021-08-30. Retrieved 2021-08-30.
32. Welle (www.dw.com), Deutsche. "Tokyo Paralympic Digest: Sri Lanka wins first-ever gold medal | DW | 30.08.2021". DW.COM. Retrieved 2021-08-30.
33. "Para athlete Herath has a score to settle". Sunday Observer. 2019-11-23. Retrieved 2021-07-21.
34. "'This is the best example for Sri Lankan para-athletes': Dinesh Priyantha on making history". www.adaderana.lk. Retrieved 2021-08-31.
35. "Sri Lankan war hero gunning for gold and world record in javelin". International Paralympic Committee. Retrieved 2021-08-30.
36. ""It took me four years to piece my hand together": Paralympics World Champion Dinesh Priyantha reveals his story". NewsWire. 2021-08-30. Retrieved 2021-08-31.
37. "Javelin Throwing Dinesh Priyantha Wins a Bronze Medal for Sri Lanka in Paralympics - 2016 | Sri Lanka Army". www.army.lk. Retrieved 2017-03-14.
38. "Bronze Medalist in Paralympics Felicitated & Rewarded by Prime Minister | Sri Lanka Army". www.army.lk. Retrieved 2017-03-14.
39. "Paralympic silver medalist felicitated". Sunday Observer. 2017-12-23. Retrieved 2021-07-21.
40. "Sri Lankan Gold Medalist in Tokyo Paralympics promoted by Army". NewsWire. 2021-08-30. Retrieved 2021-08-31.