Anton Jesudasan Yathursika, a young athlete from Mannar, has achieved an extraordinary feat by setting a new all-island record for the category in the javelin throw, at the recently concluded National Athletics Championships for Schools with an impressive throw of 37.39 meters.
A student of Thottaveli Government Tamil School, Yathursika won the gold medal in the women’s javelin throw event. Vanni District Member of Parliament, Durairasa Ravikaran, congratulated Yathursika for her achievement and highlighted the significance of her success for the district.
"The entire Vanni is proud of this young achiever," said Ravikaran in his message. "Yathursika has overcome many difficulties and challenges to achieve this feat. Her success is a testament to her determination and hard work. She is an inspiration to all young people striving to reach their goals."
Yathursika’s journey to winning the gold medal was far from easy. One of the major challenges she faced was the lack of a proper training facility at her school. The school where she studies does not even have a dedicated playground, making it difficult for students like her to train for athletics.
Despite this setback, Yathursika remained focused on her goal. Her resolve was further tested when she suffered an accident during her training. However, rather than allowing the injury to derail her progress, she persevered through the pain and kept pushing forward.
In his congratulatory message, Ravikaran acknowledged the hardships Yathursika had to overcome:
"Yathursika has achieved this feat after facing many trials and difficulties. Despite the challenges she encountered, including the lack of facilities and the accident she suffered during training, she continued to pursue her dreams. This achievement is a result of her resilience and perseverance."