Asia’s fastest woman out to repeat feat in Manila trackfest

Susanthika Jayasinghe’s kilometric name will be difficult for Filipino sports fans to accurately memorize and pronounce. Regardless, the crowd that will watch her sprint come the Asian Athletics Association (3As) championships slated Sept. 20-23 at the Rizal Memorial Track and Field Stadium will definitely gasp in awe and admiration.

The twenty-eight year old Sri Lankan is the region’s fastest woman. Although she ran 11.15 seconds in the century dash to capture the gold and establish a new games record in the 2002 Busan Asian Games, her personal best of 11.08 achieved earlier in Manchester, England on July 27, 2002 is what makes her the heavy favorite.

The tall and dusky runner is also the defending champion in both the 100 and 200 meters, having collared the twin events in the 2002 Asian championships held in her own turf in the capital city of Colombo. Before this, Jayasinghe won a bronze in the 100-m in the Madrid World Cup in Spain.

Asian championships host and organizer PATAFA president Go Teng Kok said Jayasinghe has established a foothold in these two races although she is not invincible.

"Saha Saraswati of India ruled the 200-meter in Busan where Jayasinghe, although entered, did not start. Jayasinghe earlier beat Saraswati in the 100-meter… so we should be expecting a grudge rematch if both come to Manila," Go said.

The Indian, however, has a slower time of 11.43 as her personal best which is .28 ticks farther from the Sri Lankan’s. But, according to PATAFA secretary general Ben Silva Netto, the time difference between the two is