about 15000 beedis within four days. Despite the financial tussles, she pursued her primary education at the Uduwaka Junior School. She later switched to Athnawala Maha Vidyalaya to continue her studies. She was encouraged to take up athletics by an army officer who watched her closely when she was running in an inter-school competition at the age of 16. The army officer who watched her event as a spectator recommended her to join Sri Lanka Army soon after completing the school education. She agreed his offer and signed up as a volunteer recruit and also trained hard in athletics while being attached with the army. She enlisted in the Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force to pursue her athletic career, and was attached to the 3rd Battalion, Sri Lanka Army Women's Corps (SLAWC) as a Private. In 1994, she competed in the All Island Athletic Championship from a team from the SLAWC and won the best player trophy. Professional athletics career She rose to prominence at the age of 18 after claiming a gold in 200m and a silver in 100m events during the 1994 Asian Junior Championships which was held in Jakarta. She thereafter joined the Sri Lankan national athletic squad competing in the 1994 Asian Games. She made her South Asian Games debut at the age of 15 during the 1995 edition and claimed gold medals in 100m and 200m sprint events. She also got due recognition for her silver medal performances in 100m events at the Australian Open and Taipei Open in 1995. She made her maiden Olympic appearance at the age of 20 representing Sri Lanka at the 1996 Summer Olympics and competed in the women's 100m event. She clinched silver medal in the women's 200m race at the 1997 World Championships. She also became the first Sri Lankan to win a medal at the World Athletics Championships. With no support from her national athletics association, she had to go heavily into debt to reach the Olympics. She faced severe financial constraints and mental challenges before her journey to the 2000 Sydney Olympics. She even auctioned and sold out all her trophies in order to raise adequate funds to buy tickets with the intention of training in the USA prior to the Sydney Olympics. She qualified to take part at the 2000 Summer Olympics after winning the 100m sprint event at the National Athletics Championships. Notably, she