- Army’s Gold Medalist “Marathon Karu” Bids Adieu to the Nation

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Army’s Gold Medalist “Marathon Karu” Bids Adieu to the Nation

Monday, 07 April 2008

THE ONLY SRI LANKAN to secure a fourth place at the Asian Games in Beijing in 1990 and Sri Lanka’s champion long distance runner, attached to the Sri Lanka Army, is no more.

The sportsman, Warrant Officer (I) Kuruppu Arachchige Karunaratne, fondly known as “Marathon Karu” who brought Gold Medals home from South Asian Games (1991), South Asian Marathon Race (1993) and Dhaka South Asian Trophy (1993) perished in the LTTE suicide attack on Sunday (06) morning along with Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle and fifteen others.

Warrant Officer I K.A Karunaratne was posthumously promoted to the rank of Lieutenant in appreciation of his contributions to the Sri Lanka Army.

Karunaratne as a result of his excellent sports talents joined the Army on 24th March 1986 under Sri Lanka Army Service Corps and received his basic training before he was fully devoted to sports arena with the blessings of the Army hierarchy. He took part in a number of local and international sports events including Seoul Olympics (1988), Beijing Asian Games (1990), London Marathon Race (1991), Barcelona Olympics (1992), Madras South Asian Trophy (1995) and a host of national events representing Army interests. He was the chairman for Sri Lanka Track and Event Athletics Association and was a member of the selection committee for National Athletics.

He won the Gold Medal in Marathon and the 10,000 meters at the SAF Games in Colombo (1991). In 1990 he won the Singapore open Marathon race, bringing reputation to the motherland. At the time of his demise he was the president of Athletics Club.

Married to Mrs. D.S.S. Priyadarshani, Lieutenant K.A Karunaratne has two children, K.A Danushka Sudara Akalanka (10) and K.A Sandun Anjana (04). Lieutenant Karunaratne was forty seven years of age at the time of his untimely death. His funeral with full military honours is to take place shortly at his native place.

(Courtesy : Sri Lanka Army)

Last Updated ( Tuesday, 24 June 2008 )