10 May, 2021
File photo of Paarami with her father after winning her medal
Sri Lanka’s only Youth Olympic medallist Paarami Marisstella has pleaded with authorities for the release of her father who is detained in the Andaman Islands since last January.
Paarami’s father, who is a fisherman, has been detained by the Indian Coastal Guard and she said her family is struggling to live without their breadwinner.
Paarami won the Bronze medal at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games in the 2000m steeple chase, becoming the first Sri Lankan to achieve this feat.
She is also a Gold medallist at the Asian Junior Championship held in 2018 in Japan.