Menaka Srimani de Silva (born January 26, 1985) is a Sri Lankan swimmer, who specialized in sprint freestyle events.[1] She held a Sri Lankan record from the national championships in 2003 (28.28), until it was eventually broken by 13-year-old Kimiko Raheen nine years later (2012).[2]

Menaka de Silva
Personal information
Full nameMenaka Srimani de Silva
National team Sri Lanka
Born (1985-01-26) 26 January 1985 (age 39)
Colombo, Sri Lanka
Height1.65 m (5 ft 5 in)
Weight65 kg (143 lb)
Sport
SportSwimming
StrokesFreestyle

De Silva qualified for the women's 50 m freestyle at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, by receiving a Universality place from FINA, in an entry time of 28.48.[3][4] She challenged seven other swimmers in heat four, including 31-year-old Melanie Slowing of Guatemala. She raced to seventh place by two tenths of a second behind Nicaragua's Geraldine Arce in 28.93. De Silva failed to advance into the semifinals, as she placed fifty-second overall out of 75 swimmers on the last day of preliminaries.[5][6]

References

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  1. ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Menaka de Silva". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 7 May 2013.
  2. ^ Jayakody, Sajeewa (24 September 2012). "13-year-old Kimiko sets National Record". Daily News (Sri Lanka). Archived from the original on 26 September 2012. Retrieved 7 May 2013.
  3. ^ "Swimming – Women's 50m Freestyle Startlist (Heat 4)" (PDF). Athens 2004. Omega Timing. Retrieved 19 April 2013.
  4. ^ Weerawansa, Dinesh (24 August 2004). "Big experience, says Menaka". Daily News (Sri Lanka). Archived from the original on 22 April 2005. Retrieved 7 May 2013.
  5. ^ "Women's 50m Freestyle Heat 4". Athens 2004. BBC Sport. 20 August 2004. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  6. ^ Thomas, Stephen (20 August 2004). "Women's 50 Freestyle, Prelims Day 7: Inky Sizzles in World Best 24.66, Joyce Next in PR 25.06, Jenny Thompson Makes It Too". Swimming World Magazine. Archived from the original on 4 February 2012. Retrieved 19 April 2013.
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