THILAKA JINADASA SPEAKS OUT

'Sri Lankan netball has talent, but not the system to succeed

- ByALLAAM OUSMAN

Thilaka Jinadasa, Sri Lanka’s first female Olympian and one of the most decorated coaches in Asian netball, has broken her silence on the current state of sport in Sri Lanka, voicing frustration, concern, and cautious hope for the future.

Now based in Brunei, where she continues her coaching journey, Jinadasa spoke candidly about the failures in planning, administration, and structure that she believes are holding back Sri Lankan netball — and sport in general.

“Sri Lanka has the best raw netball talent in Asia,” she says firmly. “But raw talent alone isn’t enough. Without proper systems, structure, and support, we'll never see consistent international results.”

A Legacy Like No Other

Jinadasa’s resume speaks volumes. A double international in athletics and netball, she represented Sri Lanka at the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games — making history as the country's first female Olympian. A former national record holder in the 100m hurdles, 400m hurdles, and relay events, she dominated the South Asian athletic circuit through the 1980s and early ’90s.

Her netball career was equally illustrious. As a national pool player from 1985 to 1997, she played a crucial role in Sri Lanka's rise, notably serving as vice-captain of the 1997 Asian Championship-winning team in Singapore.

But it’s as a coach that Jinadasa truly made her mark. After stints in Australia and the Maldives, she took the helm of Sri Lanka’s youth and senior national teams, guiding them to Asian Championship titles in 2009 and 2018. Under her leadership, Sri Lanka qualified for two World Cups.

Her most impressive transformation, however, came in Brunei. From 2011 to 2017, she built a national team from scratch, leading them to bronze medals at the 2015 and 2017 SEA Games — the country's first-ever international podium finishes in netball.