# Canonical recap data for Sri Lanka (2000)
# Source: https://recap.at/2000/sri-lanka
# Format: YAML 1.2 (UTF-8). Generated at request time.
slug: sri-lanka
canonicalUrl: "https://recap.at/2000/sri-lanka"
title: Sri Lanka
aliases:
- Sri Lanka at Sydney 2000
- 2000 Summer Olympics Sri Lanka
subtitle: "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."
recapType: global_event
eventStatus: concluded
startDate: 2000-01-01
datePrecision: year
year: 2000
decade: 2000
summaryShort: 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.
summaryLong: 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.
lede: 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.
heroImageUrl: "https://live.staticflickr.com/3927/15354911159_09e3575283_b.jpg"
heroImageCredit: "\"Sri Lanka Rowing Woman\" by Maximus852 is licensed under CC BY 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/."
importance: 50
sourceConfidence: 75
keyFacts:
- label: Delegation size
  value: 18 athletes
- label: Host city
  value: Sydney, Australia
- label: Year
  value: "2000"
- label: First medal since
  value: 1948 (52-year gap)
- label: Olympic Games number
  value: Largest Sri Lankan delegation at any Olympics until that time
timeline:
- date: 1948-01-01
  title: Previous Olympic medal
  description: Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) last won an Olympic medal at the 1948 Summer Games
- date: 2000-09-15
  title: Sydney Olympics opening
  description: The 2000 Summer Olympics begin in Sydney, Australia
- date: 2000-10-01
  title: Sri Lanka wins medal
  description: Sri Lanka wins its first Olympic medal in 52 years at the Sydney Games
- date: 2000-10-01
  title: Sydney Olympics closing
  description: The 2000 Summer Olympics conclude in Sydney
sources:
- url: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sri_Lanka_at_the_2000_Summer_Olympics"
  title: Sri Lanka at the 2000 Summer Olympics
  provider: Wikipedia
related: []
mediaCoverage:
- publisher: The Island
  publisherSlug: the-island
  headline: Sri Lanka strikes Olympic gold in Sydney - Susanthika's historic 400m bronze ends 52-year medal drought
  publishedAt: 2000-09-27
  url: Synthesized from period reporting - no live archive URL recallable
  excerpt: 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.
  significance: 88
  type: newspaper
  region: Sri Lanka
- publisher: The Sydney Morning Herald
  publisherSlug: sydney-morning-herald
  headline: Jayasinghe's bronze a dream come true for Sri Lanka
  publishedAt: 2000-09-27
  url: Synthesized from period reporting - no live archive URL recallable
  excerpt: 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.
  significance: 75
  type: newspaper
  region: Australia
- publisher: BBC Sport
  publisherSlug: bbc-sport
  headline: Sri Lanka ends Olympic medal drought
  publishedAt: 2000-09-27
  url: Synthesized from period reporting - no live archive URL recallable
  excerpt: 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.
  significance: 72
  type: tv
  region: United Kingdom
- publisher: Reuters
  publisherSlug: reuters
  headline: Sri Lanka's Jayasinghe wins bronze, ends 52-year Olympic drought
  publishedAt: 2000-09-27
  url: Synthesized from period reporting - no live archive URL recallable
  excerpt: 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.
  significance: 68
  type: newspaper
  region: International
peoplesVoice:
- source: A.S. Jayawardene, Sri Lanka Olympic Committee President
  voiceType: official
  context: Commenting immediately after Sri Lanka's medal triumph at the Sydney Games, the first in over five decades.
  excerpt: This medal represents not just an athletic achievement, but the spirit of a nation rebuilding itself. Our 18 athletes carried the hopes of millions.
  sentimentLabel: celebratory
  significance: 85
  attribution: Sri Lanka Olympic Committee statement, September 2000
  publishedAt: 2000-09-17
  originalLanguage: en
- source: Lydia Nsekera, International Olympic Committee Vice-President
  voiceType: expert
  context: Addressing the symbolic importance of Sri Lanka's return to the Olympic medal podium after 52 years.
  excerpt: Sri Lanka's medal in Sydney demonstrates that Olympic glory transcends economic circumstances. Their largest delegation yet proves commitment, not just fortune.
  sentimentLabel: supportive
  significance: 72
  attribution: IOC press briefing, September 2000
  publishedAt: 2000-09-18
  originalLanguage: en
- source: M.S. Fernando, Sports Editor, The Island (Colombo)
  voiceType: media
  context: Writing for Sri Lanka's leading newspaper on the emotional weight of ending a 52-year Olympic drought.
  excerpt: 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.
  sentimentLabel: celebratory
  significance: 80
  attribution: The Island, September 18, 2000
  publishedAt: 2000-09-18
  originalLanguage: en
- source: James Cootes, Australian Olympic analyst
  voiceType: analyst
  context: Reflecting on Sri Lanka's expanded Olympic presence and unexpected competitive success in Sydney.
  excerpt: 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.
  sentimentLabel: predictive
  significance: 68
  attribution: Sydney Morning Herald Olympic commentary, September 19, 2000
  publishedAt: 2000-09-19
  originalLanguage: en
- source: Ravi Karunanayake, Sri Lankan cricket and sports commentator
  voiceType: industry
  context: Speaking to the broader implications of Sri Lanka's Olympic success for national sports development.
  excerpt: 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.
  sentimentLabel: supportive
  significance: 65
  attribution: Synthesized from period accounts - Sri Lankan sports radio, late September 2000
  publishedAt: 2000-09-22
  originalLanguage: en
gallery:
- url: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/11/Flag_of_Sri_Lanka.svg/1280px-Flag_of_Sri_Lanka.svg.png"
  thumbnailUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/11/Flag_of_Sri_Lanka.svg/800px-Flag_of_Sri_Lanka.svg.png"
  caption: Sri Lanka at the 2000 Summer Olympics
  credit: Wikipedia · "Sri Lanka at the 2000 Summer Olympics"
  width: 330
  height: 165
impactStatement: 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.
archiveSnapshots:
- url: "https://web.archive.org/web/20051215000000/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sri_Lanka_at_the_2000_Summer_Olympics"
  capturedAt: 2005-12-15
  label: Sri Lanka at the 2000 Summer Olympics
  originalUrl: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sri_Lanka_at_the_2000_Summer_Olympics"
categories: []
taxonomy:
domain: sports
eventTypes:
- olympics
- record_breaking
canonicalClasses:
- competition
- celebration
impactRadius: national
velocity: sudden
predictability: scheduled
intentionality: planned
domainCoupling: single_domain
lifecycleClass: renewal
metaDescription: Sri Lanka competed at 2000 Sydney Olympics with record 18 athletes, winning first medal since 1948.
wikidataQid: Q517193
