Olympian Tharushi Karunarathne who is currently continuing her education in the US, has won gold at the AAC Indoor Championship, while helping her university to emerge as the overall champions of the event.
Middle-distance runner Karunarathne had finished first in the Women’s 800 m final with a timing of 2:06.99 returning her season’s best in the process.
Karunarathne is currently studying at Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana on a full scholarship. The star athlete who is yet 19, became an Olympian as she qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics in the 800m, being the youngest member of the Sri Lankan contingent.
She had previously won the Asian Games gold medal three years ago, followed by a gold medal at the Asian Championships (senior) in the same year. She had also won gold at the Asian Games in 2023 and booked her spot at the Paris Games through world rankings.
Karunarathne, a former student of Walala A. Rathnayake Central College is trained by prominent track and field coach Susantha Fernando.
(YK)
