Lahiru Achintha, who won the silver medal in the men’s 1,500m event at the 4th Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, Senegal, arrived in Sri Lanka this morning (14).
His achievement marks a historic milestone, as this is the first silver medal Sri Lanka has ever won in the history of the Youth Olympic Games.
The 2026 Youth Olympic Games, originally scheduled for 2022 but postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, were held from October 31 to November 13.
A total of 2,655 athletes from 205 countries, along with refugee teams, competed across 25 sports at the event.
A large gathering welcomed Achintha at Bandaranaike International Airport in Katunayake upon his return.
Among those present were officials from the Ministry of Sports, his mother and other family members, the principal and teachers of Ratnapura Kumara Vidyalaya, current and former students, and representatives of the National Olympic Committee.
Achintha’s historic achievement has brought pride to Sri Lanka and marked a significant moment in the country’s Youth Olympic Games history.
