Paris, August 6, 2024 – Sri Lankan athlete Aruna Darshana is set to compete in the Men’s 400m semi-finals at the Paris 2024 Olympics tonight. Darshana will race in Semi-Final 02, scheduled to start at 11:12 p.m. IST.
The semi-final will feature athletes from Argentina, South Africa, Italy, Zambia, the United States, Botswana, and Grenada, alongside Darshana. The top two finishers from each semi-final, plus the next two fastest overall, will advance to the final.
Darshana secured his spot in the semi-finals on August 4 by finishing third in Heat 5 with a personal best time of 44.99 seconds. His impressive performance earlier this year included a first-place finish at the 2nd Belt and Road Invitational Athletics Championship in China.
At 25, Darshana is poised to emulate the success of former Sri Lankan athlete Sugath Thilakaratne. His previous achievements include winning the Men’s 400m at the 2018 National Athletics Championships with a time of 46.16 seconds.
As Sri Lankans eagerly anticipate their first medal at the Paris Olympics, all eyes will be on Darshana as he aims to advance to the final and make history for his country.