The farewell event and launch of the OLY Niluka Karunaratne Foundation took place at the Sri Lanka Olympic House, commemorating the illustrious career of three-time Olympian Niluka Karunaratne.
Karunaratne embarked on his sporting journey at the tender age of eight in 1993. His career saw him clinch his first national title in 2001, setting a record as the youngest badminton national champion in Sri Lanka, a record that still stands to this day. Over the span of 22 years, Karunaratne competed in three Olympic Games – London 2012, Rio 2016, and Tokyo 2020.
Notably, he captained team Sri Lanka at the London 2012 Olympics, in addition to participating in six Commonwealth Games and two Asian Games. Karunaratne holds the distinction of being the sole Sri Lankan badminton player to attain international acclaim, achieving a world ranking of 34. His achievements include 34 international medals, with five Gold medals across all five continents. Currently, Karunaratne serves as the Chairman of the Athletes’ Commission of the National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka (NOCSL).
Karunaratne officially announced his retirement on 1 October 2023 at the International Olympic Committee Headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland. However, his formal farewell was conducted on 7 March.
In his farewell address, Karunaratne expressed heartfelt gratitude to his sporting fraternity, family, friends, supporters, and all those who had contributed to his remarkable journey. He stated: “It has been an honour and a privilege to represent my country and sport at the highest level. I am immensely grateful for the unwavering support I have received throughout my career.”
As Karunaratne bids farewell to the court, he leaves behind a legacy that will inspire generations to come, epitomising the values of perseverance and the pursuit of excellence.
Concurrently, Karunaratne launched the OLY Niluka Karunaratne Foundation with the objective of supporting athletes locally and internationally, aiming to enhance the quality of sport through athlete assistance programmes. As an initial gesture of support, the foundation provided its first grant to OLY Yupun Abeykoon, who is striving to qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
The event included a screening of a documentary highlighting Karunaratne’s career, concluding with an address by NOCSL Secretary General Maxwell de Silva and a vote of thanks by Karunaratne.