The greatest loser in the world(Ranathunga Karunananda)

Do you know about the greatest loser in the world?Today we are going to talk about him.

Ranathunga Karunananda was srilankan athlete .He was  born  21 may 1936 in Sri Lanka.He was a long distance runner and represented Sri Lanka during the 1960s and 70s. 

Karunananda represented Ceylon in the 1964 Summer Olympics Men’s 5000 meters and Men’s 10,000 meters competitions.

Let us now turn to the 10,000 meters at the 1964 Olympics.Everything is ready to start the game.But Karunananda was a little sick.The match began.

Karunananda was soon overtaken by the leading athletes and was lapped four times when the winner, Billy Mills of the United States, broke the tape to finish the race.All competitors had either finished the race or left.  Karunananda was the only runner on the field.

He had four more rounds left.The first round began. There was a hoot from the audience. The audience laughed at him.Karunananda started his second round. Everyone was waiting in amazement. A small clap was heard from the stadium.Karunananda started his third round.  More than 60,000 spectators greeted him.

"come on srilanka"  ,  "come on srilanka"

Karunananda finished the match.Everyone greeted him.The winner of the competition Billy Mills said "I am not the real winner, Karunananda is the real winner"

Haruo Suzuki, a Japanese reporter, was one of the first reporters to interview Karunananda after the match.  Karunananda was immediately accepted by the Japanese media as a hero.  When questioned by Karunananda, he told reporters: "The Olympic spirit is not to win but to participate. So I came here. I competed in the 10,000 meters and finished my round."

Karunananda's Olympic story has entered Japanese school textbooks as a hero.Karunananda's story helped revive Japan, devastated by World War II.

In 1975, Karunananda was offered a job in Japan in appreciation of his work.  But a few days before he left Sri Lanka, Karunananda mysteriously drowned in the Namal Oya lake.  Some say his death was accidental, while others say he was killed, and some theorists say he disappeared.

 With the death of her husband, Karunananda's wife collapsed mentally and the family fell on the street.  Later, one of the relatives offered to donate and care for his family.  The Sri Lankan government did not recognize his legacy or take care of his family.

He is widely regarded as the loser at the very core of Olympic history for what he has accomplished.This is what Karunananda tells us. 

    "Great wins are hidden in every defeat."