GAMES: Olympic medallist Susanthika Jayasinghe, who has been nominated to be the overall captain of the Sri Lanka contingent for the 10th South Asian Games, is targeting a sprint double with two Games records.

In an exclusive interview with the 'Daily News' yesterday, the 30-year-old Sydney 2000 Games women's 200m bronze medallist said her aim is not only to win two gold medals for Sri Lanka, but to do that in style with two new SA Games records.

"True that my initial targets are gold medals in my two sprint events. But I want to achieve that with something special, with two new Games records before my home supporters," said Jayasinghe who will be running in her farewell international meet on home soil.

Jayasinghe, the first Sri Lankan to win an Olympic medal in 52 years and the only Lankan medallist in the IAAF World Championship history, is the reigning South Asian Games women's 100m champion, but lost the 200m record to compatriot Damayanthi Darsha in Kathmandu, 1999.

The most successful athlete ever produced by Sri Lanka, Jayasinghe said she has overcome all injury worries and is now in perfect shape. "Unfortunately, I could not compete last year due to a leg injury. But now I have recovered from all those and I am ready to regain my old form," she said.

Jayasinghe's career best performances were registered in late 2000, where she clocked 11.04 seconds in the women's 100m at the Yokohama Grand Prix in Japan and then returned a timing of 22.28 seconds in the women's 200m final in Sydney, Australia.

Despite many ups and downs, Jayasinghe is confident that she could better her career best timings before she hangs her spikes.

"I want to better my career best records before I retire. The way I am progressing after injury, I know I could achieve that," said Jayasinghe, probably targeting December's 10th Asian Games in Doha for that record breaking performance.

Following a short stint in Los Angeles early this year, the Lankan woman sprinter still depends on her American coach Tony Campbell, the man who guided her to Olympic glory six years ago.

"I am in constant touch with him. Tony sends me all my work out schedules. My training here is based on those," she said. Guiding Jayasinghe in her training back home is her husband coach and former Sri Lanka athlete Dhammika Nandakumara.

In addition to her pet events of women's 100m and 200m, Jayasinghe also plans to anchor Sri Lanka's women's 4 x 100m relay team to victory.

After many years, Jayasinghe would meet her arch rival Darsha in the women's 200m event for the first time at a major international meet. But Jayasinghe said the presence of Darsha would be an inspiration for her to run better.

"We are good friends. I am glad that Darsha is there in the women's 200m so that the race would be highly competitive and would generate good speed," she said.

Jayasinghe, as the overall captain of the Sri Lanka contingent that takes part in all 20 disciplines of the eight-nation Games, said she is extremely happy to see the unity and harmony that exist in the Sri Lanka athletic team.

"The athletes in the Sri Lanka team are living in harmony like one family. We know we have a goal and we should achieve that for our country. The unity in the team is an inspiration and a motivation to perform better at the Games," she said.

Jayasinghe also disclosed that the athletes now have a better rapport with the officials. "Unlike in the past, there is a greater understanding amongst the athletes and officials. All these are positive sings. All our athletes have been working hard and we are confident that Sri Lanka, as the host nation, would do better in track and field," she concluded.