Sports
Odds against Sri Lankan trio as they attempt Olympic qualifying standards in Osaka
by Reemus Fernando
After their first attempt to improve ‘Road to Paris 24’ rankings went awry last week, three of Sri Lanka’s top athletes will compete against odds to reach Olympic qualifying standards when they compete in Osaka, Japan.
Asian Games medallists Tharushi Karunaratne, Nadeesha Ramanayake and Kalinga Kumarage left for Osaka yesterday, three days ahead of the competition where they will vie to improve their rankings.
Last week Ramanayake produced a below par performance in the 400 metres and Karunaratne could not finish the 800 metres due to fatigue in Dubai. Gayanthika Abeyratne who also took part in the 800 metres finished last. She is not a part of the current contingent.
It is learnt that the athletes had to spend hours in a hotel lobby on their arrival in Dubai on the eve of the race until their booking was confirmed by the organisers. This time authorities have made arrangements to send the team days prior to the event but the odds are still against the trio.
Both Karunaratne and Ramanayake have spent the last seven days traveling (for competitions and to obtain visas) rather than training and resting. Last week Kumarage was down with flue but has recovered in time for the meet in Osaka.
With lack of training and rest between the competition in Dubai (May 3) and Osaka (12) it is doubtful whether these two athletes could reach their true potential in Japan.
Karunaratne needs to clock 1:59.30 seconds, which is better than her Sri Lanka record, if she is to accomplish direct Olympic qualifying standards or reach the best 48 in the ‘Road to Paris 24’ rankings. For Ramanayake, the direct qualifying standard is a (50.95) tough ask as it is even faster than Damayanthi Dharsha’s national record. She is currently in the 52nd position in the ‘Road to Paris 24’ rankings and she needs to enter the top 48 if she is to punch her ticket to Paris Olympics. She will be targeting to gain maximum points during the competition.
Kumarage will have two competitions in Japan. After competing in Osaka on Sunday he will stay in Japan for his second meet in Tokyo on May 19 and will travel to Thailand from there for the Asian Relays.
Kumarage has a personal best of 45.07 from July last year. He has to clock 45. seconds or improve on his current position (57) in the ‘Road to Paris 24’ rankings to achieve the Olympic qualifying standards.
Shammi Silva has once again taken guard at the top of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), securing a fourth consecutive term as President at the Annual General Meeting, held amidst much fanfare at Colombo’s Cinnamon Grand Hotel yesterday.
Already calling the shots as President of the Asian Cricket Council, Silva’s crowning achievement in recent years has been bringing the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup to Sri Lankan shores. The marquee tournament will be co-hosted by Sri Lanka and India next year, a feather in the cap for the country’s cricket administrators.
Silva’s administration has made a concerted effort to bridge the yawning gap between domestic and international cricket. One of the bold strokes in this innings has been trimming the number of First-Class teams – a move aimed at upping the quality and sharpening the edge of domestic cricket.
SLC Ex-Co also played a straight bat when it comes to developing cricket beyond Colombo’s city limits. High Performance Centres have sprung up across the outstations, rolling out the red carpet for raw talent from the hinterlands, who had previously been left in the pavilion.
The school cricket circuit too has been given a shot in the arm, with infrastructure development and skill enhancement taking centre stage. By strengthening the grassroots, the current administration hopes to widen the talent pool and unearth future stars of the game.
SLC’s balance sheet tells its own story – healthy and in the black. Over the past five years, the board’s financial stability has not only benefited cricket, but has also allowed it to lend a helping hand to other sports disciplines, at the request of the Ministry of Sports.
With over three decades of experience under his belt as a sports administrator, Shammi Silva is the long-serving President of the Colombo Cricket Club (CCC), one of the game’s oldest institutions in the country.
The 64th AGM was largely a case of “same XI, new season,” with only one notable change to the playing field – Secretary Mohan de Silva making way for seasoned campaigner Bandula Dissanayake. No stranger to the inner workings of SLC, Dissanayake has previously chaired the Tournament and Umpires Committees, and brings a wealth of experience to the table.
Dr. Jayantha Dharmadasa and former First-Class player Ravin Wickramaratne retained their Vice-President slots, while Sujeewa Godaliyadda continues to hold the Treasurer’s post. Chryshantha Kapuwatta and Lasantha Wickremasinghe will once again don the hats of Assistant Secretary and Assistant Treasurer, respectively.
The election, part of SLC’s biannual cycle, was overseen and greenlit by the Election Committee chaired by retired Court of Appeal Justice Malani Gunaratne.
Vidyaloka College fought back on the back of a valuable century by Nimesh Aavinda to pull off two wickets victory over Kingswood in the Under 19 Division II Tier ‘B’ cricket tournament final played at Saliyapura, Anuradhapura on Monday.
Vidyaloka had a deficit of 36 runs in the first innings but a combined effort helped them restrict Kingswood to 161 runs in the second essay. They were left with a target of 198 runs to chase. And they achieved it with Nimesh Aavinda top scoring with 115 runs.
Scores
Kingswood
227 all out in 83.3 overs (Chanul Kodituwakku 33, Aadil Sheriff 69, Kavija Gamage 25, Nikeshala Nanayakkara 56; Seniru Ninduwara 4/74, Lidula Nuwanga 2/58, Nimesh Aavinda 2/48, Pulindu Chamuditha 2/19) and 161 all out in 65.3 overs (Kavija Gamage 57, Nikeshala Nanayakkara 45; Seniru Ninduwara 2/45, Pulindu Chamuditha 2/07)
Vidyaloka
191 all out in 79.3 overs (Lidula Nuwanga 81, Seniru Ninduwara 34, Tharusha Jayamith 23; Kavija Gamage 4/63, Upadi Jayawardane 2/41) and 200 for 8 in 48.3 overs( Nimesh Aavinda 114, Lidula Nuwanga 34, Seniru Ninduwara 28; Kavija Gamage 3/80, Dominsara Peiris 2/51)
by Reemus Fernando
There was a growing sense of uncertainty surrounding the hosting of the 120th edition of the Lovers’ Quarrel Big Match after Richmond College raised concerns over an attempt by Mahinda College to field a newly recruited player in the team at the historic match which was scheduled to commence on Thursday.
Richmond College authorities have informed Mahinda that they would pullout from the match if the newly recruited player who played for St. Aloysius’ in the just concluded Under 19 cricket tournament is included in the Big Match team.
According to sources Mahinda College have recruited St. Aloysius’ skipper Charya Paranavithana at the end of the Under 19 cricket tournament and are yet to register him under their name with Sri Lanka Schools Cricket Association. They have included the player in the Big Match squad.
A source close to Mahinda said that though the player is included in the squad he was not certain to be in the playing XI.
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