Neja Dasanayake: Shooting for the stars to win Sri Lanka's First Olympic Gold
10th December 2024
Interviewed and written by Hiranyada Dewasiri
Illustration by Danushri Welikala / Seneesha Ekanayake
Eighteen-year-old Neja Dasanayake dreams of making history for Sri Lanka in the world of shooting sports by winning an Olympic gold medal in the 10m air rifle event. Taking on the baton from her father, Neja and her two younger sisters are continuing a proud family legacy. She currently holds the Sri Lanka and national record for the 10m Air Rifle Youth Women event.
Her journey into shooting started in 2015, under the guidance of her father and grandfather, both accomplished shooters themselves. Her grandfather served as the national coach for Sri Lanka for many years, earning multiple medals in international competitions, including the Asian Games and Commonwealth Games. Following his father’s footsteps, Neja’s father won a silver medal in the South Asian Games. When it reached his children’s generation, the sport went to three young girls, Neja and her two younger sisters who are also part of the Sri Lankan national shooting pool, one focusing on pistol shooting and the other on rifle events. When she first started the sport, Neja wasn’t very enthusiastic about shooting. “I started it because my father encouraged me to take it up, but I didn’t like it very much at first,’, she admits. This changed when she watched the 2016 Olympic Games. That marked the beginning of her Olympic dream. "When I was watching the 2016 Olympics, I thought to myself, ‘Sri Lanka has never won an Olympic gold medal. I am going to do it one day’,’” she recalls.
While Neja received support from her father, Neja’s mother’s support, care, and encouragement of her daughters exemplified the role played by family in supporting children’s sporting careers. It is one big family operation.
“When I started improving and performing, it got into me. Then I grew to like the sport.” A boldly painted “10.9” decorates Neja’s bedroom wall–the perfect score aspired by all 10m Air rifle shooters. “Everybody wants to score a 10.9”, Neja said, adding that seeing it around her helps stay focussed on her goal.
The young shooter’s career begins with an International Metallic Silhouette Shooting Union (IMSSU) event she did through a club, where silhouettes of animals are shot with metal, but Neja switched to International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) air rifle event. “There are world championships for IMSSU but the ISSF air rifle is the Olympic event. I switched to air rifle because of this”, she said.
Neja who describes herself as “unstoppable and awesome” is driven by a desire for consistency and excellence in her sport. Outside of the shooting range, Neja is composed and speaks very little. She is motivated by the dream of representing Sri Lanka on the world stage. “I want to be in the top and go up and up,” she says. “If I lose, I won’t get the chance to go to international competitions. That makes me sad.”, Neja added.
Neja’s journey has been marked by consistent success. She was the national champion in her category for several consecutive years, showcasing her dedication and talent. However, 2023 brought unexpected challenges. An issue with her gun’s adjustment and the need to replace her aging shooting kit caused her to slip to second place in two competitions.
“Becoming second after being first for so many years really affected me mentally,” Neja admits, saying that though she knew defeat was a part of life, she struggled to cope with it at that moment. "I wondered what people would think of me”. Neja’s defeat was a learning experience for her. “Through this experience, I learnt that it was important to learn to equally accept victory and defeat.” However, shortly after the defeat, she got a new kit, and came back stronger. Her resilience paid off as she reclaimed her top spot.
For Neja, shooting is more than just a sport; it’s a form of meditation that relieves stress and sharpens her concentration. “It is also good for your studies”, said Neja, highlighting the importance placed on precision in shooting. Shooting is a sport that is dependent upon the shooter’s balance, concentration and speed. The shooter must focus on the placement of their shooting kit, where the rifle rests on the kit, and how the shooter’s cheek is placed within less than one minute in time.
Like the rifle, Neja also has to balance her sporting career with her education. While preparing to sit for her Advanced Level examinations in the commerce stream, Neja also has to practice for at least two hours every day. The young shooter’s daily routine is a challenging one as she travels from Ja-Ela to Colombo and back for school every day. The early riser wakes up at 4.00 AM to go to school and comes back home only at 4 PM. After that she practices for two hours, does her exercises and homework which leaves little to no time and energy for her extra studying. Neja’s weekend is more relaxed where she spends her time leisurely after practices. Apart from spending time with her family and friends, Neja loves to travel and see the world.
The struggle between studies and sports has been one Neja has impressively navigated throughout her life. After representing Sri Lanka at the ISSF Junior World cup 2022 held in Germany and ranking 77th in the world, Neja returned to Sri Lanka with only three days left for her Ordinary Level examinations. “I practiced for about three months at a stretch and I didn’t even get to touch a book during that period”, Neja admitted. However, amidst the challenges, Neja was appointed Games Captain of her school, Buddhist Ladies’ College, a testament to her hard-work and diligence juggling multiple responsibilities. Neja’s education is also a result of her commitment and the support of her classmates. “If I miss something, my friends share their notes with me and help me”.. Although shooting is what she loves to do, Neja understands her studies to be important.
Neja believes that shooting sports are especially suited for women as women perform well in it. Because of this, she says that women shooters earn more in comparison to men. This performance is credited to patience and endurance. According to Neja, standing still for about ninety minutes wearing a 8 kilogram kit carrying a 5 kilogram firearm to shoot 60 shots is a challenge a woman’s patience and endurance can persevere.
As Neja steps into the adult world, she is determined to make shooting a professional career. In addition to competing, she also aims to be an ISSF jury member. While this would help her earn an income, she is excited about the opportunities it will bring for her to travel and explore different cultures, something Neja loves to do.
Like for all sports, Neja sees a lot of room for improvement for Sri Lanka’s sporting sector in general and shooting sports in specific. Limited access to electronic targets for shooting is a challenge as international competitions are conducted using electronic targets. “In Sri Lanka, we currently only have eight electronic targets and that is also reserved for the national pool”. Neja is also hopeful for a future where sports are as big a priority as academics for young people, a future where institutions such as sports universities guarantee that those who love sports get to continue what they do.
At the cusp of womanhood, Neja draws strength from her friends and family. Whether it’s spending time with loved ones or pushing herself in training, she remains focused on her ultimate goal: to bring home Sri Lanka's first Olympic gold medal.
Reference Links and Further Reading
“Three shooters represent Sri Lanka at 15th Asian Air Gun Championship”, The Sunday Times, 13th November 2022, https://www.sundaytimes.lk/221113/sports/three-shooters-represent-sri-lanka-at-15th-asian-air-gun-championship-501454.html
DITL Ep 3: Neja Dasanayake 18-year-old National Air Rifle Shooter”, Everystory Sri Lanka (YouTube), 13th January 2025, https://youtu.be/A-QwTw4zFw0?si=awqbqfhj1MGO4IP2
Notes
This article is pending support to be translated into Sinhala and Tamil. Please email storiesofslwomen@everystorysl.org if you would like to support us with translations or if you have any questions.
(Hiranyda Dewasiri is a researcher based in Colombo)
