Incoming Tulane Women's Track Athlete to Race in Olympics Friday
The Tulane Green Wave have four of their athletes or staff representing at the 2024 Olympics. One of the most impressive is Tharushi Karunarathna, a track and field athlete who will be an incoming freshman this fall.
Karunarathna, a Sri Lanka native, is a middle distance specialist, with a focus on the 800 meter dash. She has posted a personal record of 2:00.66 in the event and is just one of six athletes representing Sri Lanka at the Games this summer.
"Karunarathna is 19 years old and she'll be coming in immediately after the Olympic Games when she's done competing," said head track coach Adrian Myers. "She will be coming in and likely will not run cross country coming out of the Olympic Games for us, we'll focus more on track, but long term will probably also move into our cross-country contingent.
"You know, the new model is so much harder to qualify for the Olympics because you have to be world ranked, have a certain amount of points. You know, they don't send as many to the games as they did before. It's harder to make it so she actually fell into that group and made it because of her time."
The incoming Green Wave freshman will get her chance to shine on the biggest and brightest stage on Friday in the first heat of the 800m at 12:45pm CT and can be found on Peacock. The semi-finals will take place on August 4, and if she qualifies, the 800m finals will be on August 5.
Stay up to date with all of Tulane's Olympians by checking back into Tulane On Sports Illustrated periodically throughout the Games!
KADE KISTNER