
Sri Lanka’s legendary sprinter and 2000 Sydney Olympic Games silver medalist, Susanthika Jayasinghe, has relocated to Melbourne, Australia, with her two children.
She left Sri Lanka two months ago, citing her children’s education and future as the primary reasons for her move.
Susanthika has confided in friends about her uncertainty regarding returning to Sri Lanka in the future.
Her move mirrors that of fellow athlete Damayanthi Darsha, an Asian medalist and Olympian, who also migrated to Australia with her family several years ago.
At 49, Susanthika is a retired sprinter specializing in the 100m and 200m events and remains one of Sri Lanka’s most celebrated athletes.
She made history at the 2000 Sydney Olympics by becoming the first Asian woman to win a sprint medal at either the Olympics or the World Championships, and the second Sri Lankan to win an Olympic medal after Duncan White.
To date, Susanthika is the only Asian athlete to win an Olympic sprint medal and the only Sri Lankan to win a medal at the World Athletics Championships.
Her silver medal at the 2000 Olympics remained South Asia’s sole athletics medal until Neeraj Chopra’s gold at the 2020 Summer Olympics.
Affectionately known as the “Asian Black Mare,” Susanthika is celebrated for her athletic achievements while being a polarizing figure in Sri Lanka.
She represented Sri Lanka at three Olympic Games—in 1996, 2000, and 2008—and remains one of the country’s most decorated sprinters.