Though Wushu is not one of the medal sports in the forthcoming Olympic Games, it was introduced as a demonstration event sanctioned by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The tournament will be conducted exactly same as an Olympic event. The Sri Lankan duo who achieved this rare honour are Manel Dharmakeerthie as an Independent Judge and Referee and Prabhath Manuranga as a Taolu player.
International Wushu Sanshou Judge and Referee Dharmakeerthie is the current secretary of IC of Wushu Federation of Sri Lanka and also holds the key Secretary General's post in South Asian Wushu Federation (SAWUF). He was invited to serve in the Traditional Wushu Committee in the Wushu Federation of Asia (WFA) by the Executive Committee of WFA in 2006 until 2010. That was the first time a South Asian National was selected to the said committee.
Dharmakeerthie became an International Wushu Judge and Referee in 2001 in Macau, China and in 2004 in Beijing, China after passing his examination and obtained his Diploma conducted by the International Wushu Federation.
He first had his international exposure as a judge at the 6th World Wushu Championship in Yerevan, Armania in 2001.
After carefully examining the world's best judges, Dharmakeerthie was invited to officiate as a Judge and Referee at the 1st Sanshou World Cup held in Shanghai in 2002 by the Technical Committee of IWUF.
He was among one of the two judges invited to prestigious Sanshou World Cup from whole of Asia except China and only one from South Asia. Since then Dharmakeerthie has become a member of this elite Independent Judges and Referees panel officiating in 2nd Sanshou World Cup in Guanzhou in 2004, 8th World Wushu Championship in Hanoi, Vietnam in 2005, 3rd Sanshou World Cup in Xian in 2006 and 9th World Wushu Championship in Beijing in 2007.
No other Wushu Judge and Referee has achieved Dharmakeerthie's milestone in Sri Lanka, South Asia or Asia except judges from China.
Prabath Manuranga has been selected as one outside the wild card entries. While selecting Manuranga, IWUF has said in its letter to WFSL President Minister T.B. Ekanayake that they decided to offer this rare chance to Sri Lankan player to encourage WFSL's "Great work which initiated to include Wushu into South Asian Games".
Manuranga a member of the Unichela Wushu Club won a gold medal at the 10th SA Games in 2006 in Colombo. He hails from Nuwara Eliya.
International Wushu Sanshou Judge and Referee Dharmakeerthie is the current secretary of IC of Wushu Federation of Sri Lanka and also holds the key Secretary General's post in South Asian Wushu Federation (SAWUF). He was invited to serve in the Traditional Wushu Committee in the Wushu Federation of Asia (WFA) by the Executive Committee of WFA in 2006 until 2010. That was the first time a South Asian National was selected to the said committee.
Dharmakeerthie became an International Wushu Judge and Referee in 2001 in Macau, China and in 2004 in Beijing, China after passing his examination and obtained his Diploma conducted by the International Wushu Federation.
He first had his international exposure as a judge at the 6th World Wushu Championship in Yerevan, Armania in 2001.
After carefully examining the world's best judges, Dharmakeerthie was invited to officiate as a Judge and Referee at the 1st Sanshou World Cup held in Shanghai in 2002 by the Technical Committee of IWUF.
He was among one of the two judges invited to prestigious Sanshou World Cup from whole of Asia except China and only one from South Asia. Since then Dharmakeerthie has become a member of this elite Independent Judges and Referees panel officiating in 2nd Sanshou World Cup in Guanzhou in 2004, 8th World Wushu Championship in Hanoi, Vietnam in 2005, 3rd Sanshou World Cup in Xian in 2006 and 9th World Wushu Championship in Beijing in 2007.
No other Wushu Judge and Referee has achieved Dharmakeerthie's milestone in Sri Lanka, South Asia or Asia except judges from China.
Prabath Manuranga has been selected as one outside the wild card entries. While selecting Manuranga, IWUF has said in its letter to WFSL President Minister T.B. Ekanayake that they decided to offer this rare chance to Sri Lankan player to encourage WFSL's "Great work which initiated to include Wushu into South Asian Games".
Manuranga a member of the Unichela Wushu Club won a gold medal at the 10th SA Games in 2006 in Colombo. He hails from Nuwara Eliya.
