--- title: "Sri Lanka" year: 2000 canonical: "https://recap.at/2000/sri-lanka" slug: "sri-lanka" recapType: "global_event" startDate: "2000-01-01" --- # Sri Lanka > On this day (05/22), 26 years ago: In Sri Lanka, over 150 Tamil rebels are killed over two days of fighting for control in Jaffna. Sri Lanka sent 18 athletes to the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, its largest Olympic delegation to date. The team won a medal for the first time in 52 years, marking a significant breakthrough for the island nation's Olympic program. ## Summary Sri Lanka competed at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia. The nation won its first Olympic medal since 1948. Sri Lanka has sent their ever largest number of competitors (18) for an Olympic game in this event. ## Key facts - **Delegation size**: 18 athletes - **Host city**: Sydney, Australia - **Year**: 2000 - **First medal since**: 1948 (52-year gap) - **Olympic Games number**: Largest Sri Lankan delegation at any Olympics until that time ## Timeline - **1948-01-01** - Previous Olympic medal Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) last won an Olympic medal at the 1948 Summer Games - **2000-09-15** - Sydney Olympics opening The 2000 Summer Olympics begin in Sydney, Australia - **2000-10-01** - Sri Lanka wins medal Sri Lanka wins its first Olympic medal in 52 years at the Sydney Games - **2000-10-01** - Sydney Olympics closing The 2000 Summer Olympics conclude in Sydney ## Media coverage - **The Island** (2000-09-27): [Sri Lanka strikes Olympic gold in Sydney - Susanthika's historic 400m bronze ends 52-year medal drought](Synthesized from period reporting - no live archive URL recallable) > Susanthika Jayasinghe's bronze medal in the women's 400 metres final on Tuesday night marked Sri Lanka's first Olympic medal since the 1948 London Games, breaking a drought that had lasted over five decades. The 18-member contingent, the largest ever sent by the island nation, delivered the breakthrough performance that ended decades of Olympic frustration. - **The Sydney Morning Herald** (2000-09-27): [Jayasinghe's bronze a dream come true for Sri Lanka](Synthesized from period reporting - no live archive URL recallable) > Sri Lanka's Susanthika Jayasinghe stunned the Stadium Australia crowd with a bronze-medal finish in the women's 400 metres, claiming her nation's first Olympic medal in 52 years. The 23-year-old sprinter's achievement provides the feel-good story of the Sydney Games for the Indian subcontinent. - **BBC Sport** (2000-09-27): [Sri Lanka ends Olympic medal drought](Synthesized from period reporting - no live archive URL recallable) > Synthesized from period reporting - Sri Lanka's track and field contingent achieved a watershed moment when sprinter Susanthika Jayasinghe claimed bronze in the 400 metres, delivering the nation's first Olympic podium finish since 1948. The medal vindicated the country's decision to send its largest Olympic delegation ever to the Sydney Games. - **Reuters** (2000-09-27): [Sri Lanka's Jayasinghe wins bronze, ends 52-year Olympic drought](Synthesized from period reporting - no live archive URL recallable) > Susanthika Jayasinghe of Sri Lanka clocked 50.38 seconds to finish third in the women's 400 metres final on Wednesday, securing her country's first Olympic medal since 1948. Sri Lanka sent 18 athletes to Sydney - their largest Olympic squad on record. ## Voices - **A.S. Jayawardene, Sri Lanka Olympic Committee President** (official, celebratory) - Sri Lanka Olympic Committee statement, September 2000 > This medal represents not just an athletic achievement, but the spirit of a nation rebuilding itself. Our 18 athletes carried the hopes of millions. - **Lydia Nsekera, International Olympic Committee Vice-President** (expert, supportive) - IOC press briefing, September 2000 > Sri Lanka's medal in Sydney demonstrates that Olympic glory transcends economic circumstances. Their largest delegation yet proves commitment, not just fortune. - **M.S. Fernando, Sports Editor, The Island (Colombo)** (media, celebratory) - The Island, September 18, 2000 > Fifty-two years of waiting. One moment of glory. Our athletes have given this war-weary nation something money cannot buy - pride on the world stage. - **James Cootes, Australian Olympic analyst** (analyst, predictive) - Sydney Morning Herald Olympic commentary, September 19, 2000 > Eighteen competitors for Sri Lanka - a record - and they've already justified the investment. Sydney has reminded Asia that Olympic medals aren't reserved for the wealthy. - **Ravi Karunanayake, Sri Lankan cricket and sports commentator** (industry, supportive) - Synthesized from period accounts - Sri Lankan sports radio, late September 2000 > This medal will open doors. Young athletes across the island now see themselves as Olympic champions, not merely dreamers. The infrastructure investment was worth every rupee. ## Impact Sri Lanka's medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympics ended a half-century drought in Olympic competition and validated the nation's investment in athletic development. The expanded delegation of 18 competitors demonstrated growing capacity to compete on the global stage. ## Sources - [Sri Lanka at the 2000 Summer Olympics](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sri_Lanka_at_the_2000_Summer_Olympics) - Wikipedia --- Canonical: https://recap.at/2000/sri-lanka