South Asia's fastest man Yupun placed 2nd at Savona International

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lankan sprint sensation Yupun Abeykoon clocked 10.01 seconds to come in second in the 100m sprint at the Savona International Meeting in Italy on Wednesday (24).

Earlier, Yupun was able to come in 2nd in the heats of his first 100m race for the year with a timing of 10.04 seconds (+2.7 wind) at the Savona Meeting. 

Yupun is also considered as the fastest man in South Asia.

Over the last seven years, Yupun has become one of Asia's fastest men. 

In June 2022, he became the first South Asian to run a 100m race under 10 seconds. 

Yupun ran 9.96s - fastest time ever recorded by a South Asian, the fourth-fastest by an Asian.

Only 32 countries in the world have produced athletes who can run sub-10. There are only 170 athletes all-time in history to do so.

In July 2022, he won a historic bronze at the Commonwealth Games - Sri Lankan athletics' first medal in 24 years. 

In September 2022, he became the first Sri Lankan to compete in the Diamond League final, finishing fifth.

Yupun now sees it as his duty to give Sri Lankans some cheer amidst the crisis of political turmoil and an ailing economy.