Sri Lanka’s fastest sprinter, Yupun Abeykoon, has announced his retirement from athletics.

In an emotional farewell message, Abeykoon said he was leaving the sport with nothing owed to his country, but with a sense of gratitude to the world.

He thanked his family, coaches, teammates, the Sri Lanka Army, Sri Lanka Athletics, his Italian training team, sponsors, and millions of Sri Lankans who supported his journey.

Representing Sri Lanka on the international stage and bringing pride to his country was, he said, one of the greatest honours of his life.

Abeykoon also expressed sadness at retiring while he still believes he is capable of competing at the highest level.

He added that he will reveal the reasons behind his retirement and share his experiences of the current state of Sri Lankan athletics as he takes the next step in his journey.