Olympic Day 2026: Let’s Move – More Than a Celebration of Sport
RAISE THE BAR BY MIFRA SADIKEEN
Every year on the 23rd of June, countries across the world pause to celebrate Olympic Day. Yet for many people, Olympic Day is often mistaken as simply another sporting event. It is much more than that. Olympic Day celebrates the birth of an idea that has united nations through sport for more than a century.
On the 23rd of June 1894, French educator Pierre de Coubertin founded the International Olympic Committee in Paris with a vision of reviving the ancient Olympic Games. Two years later, the first modern Olympic Games were held in Athens, laying the foundation for what would become the world's greatest sporting movement. Olympic Day itself was officially introduced by the IOC in 1948, inviting National Olympic Committees around the world to celebrate not only elite sport but also movement, education and community participation.
Today, more than 200 National Olympic Committees celebrate Olympic Day in different ways. Some organize Olympic Day Runs through city streets. Others open sports festivals for children, host coaching clinics, school programmes, exhibitions and opportunities for communities to meet Olympians. The objective is always the same: to remind people that the Olympic Movement belongs to everyone, not only those fortunate enough to compete on the world's biggest stage.
This year, the National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka brought that message to life at
Independence Square under the global campaign "Let's Move 2026 – You Can Do This!" Nearly 500 athletes, officials, students and members of the sporting community came together for the symbolic Olympic Day Walk, joined by Olympians including Susanthika Jayasinghe, Niluka Karunaratne, Chamara Dharmawardana, Kyle Abeysinghe and Viren Nettasinghe.
For the National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka, however, the celebration extends far beyond one morning of activity.
President Asanga Seneviratne says Olympic Day is ultimately a celebration of the values that unite the world through sport while reaffirming the Committee's commitment to developing the nation's future Olympians.
"Olympic Day is a celebration of the values that unite the world through sport, excellence, friendship, and respect. The National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka is committed to nurturing talent, creating opportunities, and paving the way for the next generation of Olympians to represent our nation on the world's biggest sporting stage. Together, we celebrate not only our sporting achievements, but also the enduring Olympic spirit that inspires us all."
Secretary General Rifdy Fahmy believes the Olympic Movement begins long before elite competition. For him, Olympic Day is a reminder that sport has the power to improve lives at every level of society.
"The Olympic Movement extends far beyond elite competition. It is about inspiring healthier lifestyles, fostering inclusion, and creating opportunities for every individual to engage in sport. On this Olympic Day, we reaffirm our commitment to strengthening Sri Lanka's sporting ecosystem, ensuring that today's participation lays the foundation for tomorrow's champions."
Vice President Niloo Jayatilake highlighted another important dimension of this year's global campaign, explaining that "Let's Move" carries an especially powerful message for girls and women.
"This year's theme for Olympic Day celebration, 'Let's Move', brings a broader message to female participation in sports whether at the top level of sport or at the recreational level. It builds on developing wellness physically and mentally. We must encourage all girls and women to add movement to be healthy."
The celebrations were attended by Hon. Sunil Kumara Gamage, Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs, as Chief Guest, together with His Worship Hemantha Weerakoon, Deputy Mayor of the Colombo Municipal Council, and His Excellency Kamoshida Naoaki, Acting Ambassador of Japan to Sri Lanka.
Perhaps nowhere does Olympic Day carry greater emotional significance than for countries like Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka has celebrated remarkable sporting achievements throughout its history, yet the Olympic Games remain one of the nation's greatest ambitions. Since winning its first and only Olympic medal through Susanthika Jayasinghe's historic silver medal in Sydney in 2000, generations of Sri Lankan athletes have continued to dedicate years of sacrifice, discipline and perseverance in pursuit of standing once again on an Olympic podium.
Behind every Olympic dream lies thousands of unseen hours. Early morning training sessions. Injuries. Missed family occasions. Financial sacrifices. Years spent chasing hundredths of a second or centimeters that may ultimately determine Olympic qualification.
Olympic Day is also a moment to recognize those journeys and it’s an opportunity to acknowledge every Sri Lankan athlete who continues to train tirelessly, often with limited resources but unlimited determination, carrying not only personal ambition but the hopes of an entire nation. Whether or not they eventually stand on an Olympic podium, they embody the very values that Olympism was built upon, courage, resilience, discipline and the relentless pursuit of excellence.
As the world celebrates Olympic Day each year, the message remains timeless. The Olympic
Movement is not measured only by medals won every four years. It is measured by every child inspired to move, every athlete who refuses to give up, every community brought together through sport and every nation that continues to believe that excellence begins with a single step.
This year's theme says it best. Let's Move. You Can Do This.
SUSANTHIKA JAYASINGHE: OLYMPIC SUCCESS IS EARNED, NOT DREAMED
For Sri Lanka's only living Olympic medalist, Susanthika Jayasinghe OLY, the journey to Olympic success was never about chasing a medal. It was about respecting every step along the way.
"I have always believed in taking life one step at a time," she reflects. "When I won at district level, my goal was to become the best in the province. When I achieved that, I wanted to become the best in Sri Lanka. Only then did representing my country at the Olympics become a possibility."
She believes many young athletes today make the mistake of focusing on the destination before mastering the process. "My Olympic medal came after years of preparation. Before Sydney 2000, I had already won a silver medal at the World Championships. Every competition prepared me for the next. I never became obsessed with winning an Olympic medal. I simply focused on becoming a better athlete every day."
Susanthika also stresses that qualifying for the Olympic Games itself is an extraordinary achievement that should never be taken for granted. "Many people don't realize the difference between attending the Olympics and qualifying through international standards. I earned my place by reaching the required qualifying time and competing among the world's best. That is why the Olympics carries such meaning."
Reflecting on today's sporting landscape, she urges young athletes not to confuse publicity with performance. "Social media can create an image of success, but once the competition begins, only your performance matters. If you are not prepared, the results will expose that very quickly." Her advice to Sri Lanka's next generation is simple yet profound. "Respect every competition. Understand the value of every opportunity. Build yourself patiently, step by step. Success cannot be rushed, and neither can an Olympic medal." For Susanthika, true greatness is never built overnight. It is earned through discipline, humility, consistency, and the courage to trust the process.
