Sports
Sadew, Tharushi among top contenders at Asian Junior Athletics Championship
The 400 metres relay quartet inclusive of Sadew Rajakaruna and Omel Shashintha and 800 metres specialist Tharushi Abisheka will lead the country’s medal quest in the boys and girls categories when the Asian Junior Athletics Championship starts in Hong Kong today.
After having run sub 46 seconds in the 400 metres recently, Rajakaruna is expected to carry huge expectations to the regional event alongside Shashintha who too came almost close to clock sub 46.
They will compete in both the 400 metres and the 200 metres apart from playing lead roles in the relay.
Tharushi Abisheka
Both athletes are among the top sprinters in the Asian region and were a part of the nationl record setting quartet in the short track 4×400 metres relay along side seniors. They are expected to use their experience in competing at top international level to good effect.
In the girls’ category Abisheka is the leading contender for medals.
The Asian Youth Champion is scheduled to compete in both the 800 metres and the 1,500 metres.
In the field events, Tharusha Mendis has high hopes of bringing his best in the high jump.
Team
Under 20 Men’s:
Omel Shashintha Silva – 400m, 200m, 4x400m Relay, Sadew Rajakaruna – 400m, 200m, 4x400m Relay, Thisen Ranvidu Pathirage – Mixed Relay, 4x400m Relay, Iresh Bogoda – 4x400m Relay, Mixed Relay, Irosha Edirisingha – 4x400m Relay, Mixed Relay, Nethsara Dineth Liyanage – 800m, 1500m, Vidushan Rajendran – 3000m, Kaveesha Kulathunga – 110mH, Shavindu Nimasha Dias – 400mH, Kalpadith Hansaja Uyanwaththa – 400mH, Deesara Sendil Herath – Long Jump, Tharusha Mendis – High Jump, Nethra Chandupa Fernando – High Jump, Thehara Ravishka Fernando- Triple Jump, Sasindu Hansana Jayasingha – Triple Jump.
Under 20 Women’s:
Risansa Hirupama Silva – 200m, Dilanma Ransini Perera – 200m, Tharushi Abhisheka – 800m, 1500m, Mixed Relay, Mihinsa Dewmini Abeyrathna – High Jump, Oshini Kavindya Kodikara – Triple Jump, Ronalee Anne Pieris – 400m, Mixed Relay, Warsha Devmini Wimalasekara – Mixed Relay.
When my good friend Nimal Welgama requested me to pen a few lines about Sir Gary Sobers as I had the privilege of playing for Sri Lanka against the mighty West Indies as they were known then, I was wondering whether I can do justice to this awesome cricketing all rounder.
In this particular game Sir Gary fell short of scoring his usual hundred. Sir Gary had a flair for unique stylishness which no other cricketer matched and it came naturally to him. He wore his shirt open all the way down to the navel perhaps to keep himself cool from the hot weather one encounters when playing cricket.He walked into bat leaning forward slightly with a gait that that had confidence written all over it.I had the good fortune of viewing on a video clip of an innings of 230 plus he made in a Match against Australia against a formidable attack headed by fearsome Dennis Lillee where he tore the the bowling to shreds.This innings was described by probably the greatest batters of all time Sir Donald Bradman as the best innings he has witnessed live.A tribute difficult to ignore. I wish to conclude by saying that Sir Garfield Sobers was an all rounder of exceptional ability which void will be hard to fill.
by Anura Tennekoon ✍️
Ferran Torres scored in the 106th minute to lift Spain to their second World Cup title with a 1-0 win im extra time over 10-man Argentina in the final.
Torres’s deserved winner on Sunday came 16 years and eight days after Andres Iniesta also scored in extra time to lift the Spaniards to their first World Championship with a 1-0 victory over the Netherlands.
It came on La Roja’s 20th shot in the contest against defending champions Argentina that failed to manage any to that point and struggled to wrest possession away from their superior Iberian opponents.
That was true at even strength and became more difficult when La Albiceleste’s numbers were reduced when Enzo Fernandez’s late challenge on Pau Cubarsi left referee Slavko Vincic no choice but to produce a second caution just before the end of normal time.
Spain remain the only nation ever to win a European Championship and World Cup in successive tournaments, having now done so a second time. They are also the first World Cup champions ever to concede only once across an entire tournament.
Lionel Messi’s Argentina failed to earn a title for the first time in three major tournaments, having also captured the 2021 and 2024 Copa Americas either side of their 2022 World Cup triumph.
The 39-year-old eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi finished the competition with eight goals and four assists, but had little time on the ball in the final until Spain finally took the lead. And he never seriously looked like he would lift his side to another great moment as he has so many times in the last two World Cup cycles.
Emi Martinez made 11 saves for La Albiceleste, who fell short in their bid to be the first consecutive World Cup champions since Brazil won the 1958 and 1962 titles.
What had felt so difficult for the first 105 minutes suddenly looked easy after 37 seconds of play in the second period of extra time.
Pedro Porro curled in an out-swinging cross from the left to the back post, Nico Williams won the header and nodded it back into space, and Torres hammered a half-volley at last past the flailing Martinez.
It was his only goal of the tournament, making him the seventh player to score during a tournament in which his side never trailed.
Asked about his goal, Torres said after the game: “Honestly, I didn’t think too much. I just saw the ball coming to me, and I just shot with the power of all the Spanish people.”
The win made Spain coach Luis de la Fuente, at 65, the oldest coach ever to lead a team to the World Cup title
“We are world champions,” de la Fuente said. “It was together we reached this stage.”
There was some pushing and shoving after the final whistle, which was quickly cleaned up, and Spain commenced their celebration as most Argentina players sat on the turf in disbelief.
Cooler heads prevailed, and Spain’s players lined up minutes later to form an honour guard of sorts for Argentina’s squad to walk through on their way to the stage for the runner-up medals.
Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni admitted that Spain were the better team.
“They were the better side – that’s the truth – but I’ll cherish the memory of them [his side], of what they achieved, and of the value of making it this far,” Scaloni said.
“We have to place immense value on this, because it takes so much effort.”
(Aljazeera)
HONOUR MCA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE 2026
Sampath Bank powered by a 53 ball 79 by Adithya Siriwardena and excellent bowling performance led by Chamath Dilsara, Dulaj Ashen and Hansaja Bandara registered their third win in the MCA Champions league cricket tournament sponsored by HONOUR mobile phones by crushing MAS Intimates by 131 runs at the Colts Cricket Club Ground on Saturday.
Batting first Sampath Bank powered by Adithya’a 79 and notable scores from Chamara Dilsara [34], HansajaBandara [42] and 20 plus scores from Gajitha Kotuwegoda ,Abhishek Anandakumara and Dumindu Sewmina posted 284/8 in their allocation of 50 overs after which the bowlers led by Chamath Dilsara restricted MAS Intimates to 153.
Scores:
Sampath Bank
284/8 in 50 overs (Hansaja Bandara 41, Adithya Siriwardena 79; Ruvin Senevirathne 2-41)
MAS Intimates
153/10 in 36.1 overs (Maheesha Sithum 39; Dulaj Ashen 2-13, Chamath Dilsara 3-21, Hansaja Bandara 2-15)
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