Aruna Darshana wins Gold in Chongqing

Sri Lankan sprinter Aruna Darshana bolstered his chances of qualifying for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games by clinching the Gold Medal in the Men’s 400m event at the second Belt and Road Athletics Invitation Meet in Chongqing, China.

The 25-year-old athlete from Sinhapura, Trincomalee, and South Asian Games Gold Medallist met expectations, finishing the 400m final with an impressive time of 45.48 seconds.

Darshana entered the final with high confidence, having advanced the previous day with the second fastest time from the heats, marking a successful start to his first overseas campaign of the year.

In the final, he significantly improved his performance, bettering his heat time of 46.26 seconds at this World Athletics Continental Tour Bronze Label event. The Olympic qualifying standard for the Men’s 400m event is 45.00 seconds.