Coconut plucker Kularatne qualifies for athletics in China!

A coconut plucker from Chilaw has qualified for the veterans athletics meet to be held in China.

He is S.M. Kularatne, a resident of Puhulhena, Dematapitiya, Chilaw.

A father of two, 47-year-old Kularatne had participated in athletics quite by chance.

His daughter Kavindya Nethmini is a talented long distance runner. A student of Dematapitiya junior
school she participates in the 800, 1500 and 5000 metre races. Having to accompany his daughter during her training, Kularatne too developed the ability to run long distances, this eventually gave him the opportunity to participate in this event in China.

Having participated at the veterans athletics meet in 2016, Kularatne qualified for the international veterans meet in Brunei. He won the third place in the 800 and 1500 metre events and bagged second place in the 5000 metre race.

Recently he participated in the veterans athletics meet in Singapore and won the 1500 and 800 metre events including the 3000 metre obstacle race.

If he wins China, buy him a pair of shoes

Kularatne who is preparing to participate in the veterans meet in China on September 21, is in dire need of a pair of running shoes.

He said although he had sold some of the gifts he and his daughter had won during the recent cross country race, that too was not sufficient to buy him a pair of shoes.

Hence, he intends to sell some of the other gifts he has received except for his trophies. His daughter too who is currently studying at the Carmel Balika Vidyalaya in Chilaw has shown great promise as an athlete having won many provincial and national events.

However, the only problem is that she has no one to give her a helping hand in developing her sporting ability by sponsoring her.

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