Sports

Yupun set to climb up Road to Olympic rankings

Published

5 years ago

2021/06/12

Yupun Abeykoon would be delighted to have placed fourth against a solid field that included American veteran Mike Rodgers and Ivorian Arthur Cissé.

by Reemus Fernando

Sri Lanka’s top ranked sprinter Yupun Abeykoon did well to finish fourth at the Rome Diamond League meeting on Thursday. Brushing shoulders against some of the world’s fastest sprinters, the national record holder clocked 10.16 seconds.

The fourth place finish will augur well for the sprinter as he aspires to earn a Tokyo Olympic berth. The 26-year-old is currently placed 65th in the Road to Olympics rankings and needs to secure a spot within the first 56 positions as only 56 athletes are selected for Tokyo Olympic 100 metres. To earn a direct qualification Abeykoon has to clock 10.05 seconds.

With Diamond League competitions guarantying more points, analysts believe that Abeykoon would secure a better position in the Road to Olympic rankings when the World Athletics update the rankings.

To secure the fourth place Abeykoon edged out some leading athletes who are placed higher in the Road to Olympic rankings.

He would be delighted to have placed fourth against a solid field that included American veteran Mike Rodgers and Ivorian Arthur Cissé.

US World Relay champion Michael Rodgers who is ranked 15th in the Road to Olympic rankings was placed fifth in a time of 10.25 seconds.

South African Akani Simbine clocked 10.08 seconds to win while Great Britain’s Chijindu Ujah finished second in a time of 10.10 seconds. Emmanuel Matadi was placed third in 10.16 seconds.

None of Sri Lanka’s male athletes have reached qualifying standards for the Tokyo Olympics so far while Nilani Ratnayake is the only Sri Lankan athlete who is within the required ranking positions to book a berth. The steeplechase athlete is currently ranked 37th in the Road to Olympics rankings.

Rio Olympic participant Sumeda Ranasinghe is also closer to an Olympic berth in the men’s category. The javelin thrower is currently ranked 43rd in the list. High jumper Ushan Thivanka who has produced a superb 2.30 metres is ranked 51st in the list.

At the Rome Diamond League on Thursday one of the highlights of the night was Dutch long-distance star Sifan Hassan’s performance in the women’s 1 500m. The 10,000 metres specialist showed her prowess in the 1,500 metres, beating Olympic 1 500m champion Faith Kipyegon of Kenya in a new meeting record of 3:53.63. It was also a world lead. Kipyegon was placed second in a personal best of 3:53.91.

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Sports

Nethul rises to the occation as Ananda dominate day one

Published

16 mins ago

2026/02/28

Thilina Walpola

Nethul Edirimanne

96TH BATTLE OF THE MAROONS

Open bat Nethul Edirimanne rose to the big occasion wth an unbeaten century as Ananda College posted 325 for five wickets at stumps on day one of the 96th Battle of the Maroons Big Match at the SSC ground on Friday.

‎Decidng to bat first, Ananda found Edirimanne holding their top order together as he built up useful partnerships in each session.

‎Edirimanne had just a single half century against his name this season and Ananda’s entire batting line up had just two centuries. Edirimanne batted through to the close of play and remained unbeaten on 150.

‎It was not only his highest score but also the highest score by an Anandian.

‎He had faced 254 balls by stumps and had stroked 14 fours and a six in his knock.

‎The days highest partnership -126 runs for the fifth wicket- was put on by Edirimanne and Ovin Perera who scored 53 runs before being given out lbw to Dunitha Anusara.

‎Perera scored six fours.

‎While Danindu Sellapperuma (33) and Sharada Jayaratne (37) contributed with 30s, Himira Kudagama made 24. Skipper Kithma Widanapathirana’s dismissal for two runs was the only dissapointment for Ananda on an otherwise fruiful opening day.

‎For Nalanda Osanda Pamuditha took two wickets.

Latest News

Madushani, Sumedha among athletes to reach qualifying standards

Published

8 hours ago

2026/02/27

Priyan

Madushani Herath

‎

‎by Reemus Fernando

‎

‎Long jumper Madushani Herath and former national javelin record holder Sumedha Ranasinghe were among half a dozen athletes to have reached qualifying standads to make the national pool on day one of the Athletic Trials held at Diyagama today.

‎Former Nannapurawa MV, Bibila athlete Herath cleared a distance of 6.32 metres to win the long jump contest, some 18 centimeters clear of the target set for the first trial.

‎Distance runner Rasara Wijesuriya was more than one minute faster than the qualifying standard set for the 10,000 metres as she stopped the clock in 34:03.29 minutes. Her closest rival Nayana Sewwandi finished more than two minutes later.

‎Olympian Sumedha Ranasinghe cleared 75.50 meters (qualifying mark -75.00m) and was joined by R. Rathusan in that club with a distance of 75.36.

‎Minoli Fernando in the women’s high jump (1.76 m) and K.T. Mathumeethan in the men’s hammer throw (50.42m) were among the other athletes to make an impact reaching qualifying standars.

‎The selection trial is held with the aim of forming a national pool for this year’s Asian Games and the Commonwealth Games.

‎

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Can resourceful New Zealand lock in semi-final spot against already-qualified England?

Published

22 hours ago

2026/02/27

Priyan

England secured their place in the final four with a nervy win over Pakistan [Cricinfo]

While Sri Lankan cricket begins another cycle of seething introspection, there is still business to be concluded in Colombo and Pallekele. New Zealand helped turn the home crowd against their own on Wednesday night and will be looking to confirm their own passage to the semi-finals – for the fourth time in the last five T20 World Cups – when they return to Khettarama to take on England, who are already through.

Looking on anxiously will be Pakistan, who shared the points with New Zealand when their Super Eight encounter was washed out and must consequently cling to the possibility of England making it three wins from three and then making up the net run rate deficit in victory over Sri Lanka (with the results margin from both games cumulatively needing to be around 0 runs, assuming the team batting first makes 180).

England’s campaign so far has turned the phrase “winning ugly” into an art form; the two-wicket triumph over Pakistan that sealed their semi-final spot was so defiantly slapdash it might well end up being nominated for the Turner Prize. The quest for the “perfect game” continues. Certainly, there is no danger of them peaking too early.

If there is one unsettling blot on their copybook so far, it is the continuing travails of Jos Buttler. His haunted look after dismissal for a fourth single-innings score in a row against Pakistan told the story of a horror campaign, but there is no sense yet that England are ready to pull the rug on their greatest white-ball batter of all time.

New Zealand are more in need of the win – even if a close-fought loss might do – but, after a dip at the 2024 World Cup when they were edged out in the first group stage by Afghanistan, they look back to their best as a high-functioning tournament side that always makes the best of the resources available to them.

They came into this World Cup with several players battling injury and illness; Michael Bracewell, a key allrounder in subcontinental conditions, was then ruled out without playing a game. But they have won four out of five completed games with Bracewell’s replacement, the unheralded Cole McConchie, one of stars of their come-from-behind win over Sri Lanka – a game in which their five spin-bowling options trumped the four that England are able to call on (assuming the cut to Jacob Bethell’s bowling hand has healed).

No one should be surprised to see them get the job done again. A New Zealand win would put them top of the group, and also end the uncertainty around the semi-final venues, with Mumbai and Kolkata locked in. Pakistan will be hoping desperately it’s not that straightforward.

While Buttler’s lack of form remains the main talking point, Harry Brook did everything he could to make sure the headlines were about him against Pakistan. At the prompting of Brendon McCullum, Brook elevated himself to No. 3 in the order – having dropped down to No. 5 before the World Cup – and the immediate results were spectacular. Having only done the job a handful of times before for Yorkshire and Northern Superchargers, and never at international level, he made full use of the opportunity for a fast start during the powerplay and was consequently more settled when it came to navigating middle-overs spin (his T20 weak spot). A maiden T20I hundred, from just 50 balls, suggests he should be locked in at first drop for the foreseeable.

Kiwis are all about the collective, with handy performance so far sprinkled around, but one area that might be cause for a smidge of concern is the New Zealand middle order. Partly that is down to the top four being so effective – openers Tim Seifert and Finn Allen are their leading run-scorers, closely followed by Glenn Phillips – and partly the abandoned game against Pakistan, which meant they went eight days without playing. Daryl Mitchell and Mark Chapman have both batted three times and missed the chance for middle time against Sri Lanka, before Mitchell Santner and McConchie produced the vital rescue act. New Zealand have discussed pushing Santner higher, but will likely stick with the incumbents in the expectation they will come good (or not be needed).

England have played the same XI five games in a row and – unless they were to suddenly change their thinking on Buttler, and parachute Ben Duckett in to open – seem likely to stick with that formula. Rehan Ahmed, Josh Tongue and Luke Wood are in the wings, in the event that they wish to test their bench strength.

England: (probable) Phil Salt, Jos Buttler (wk), Harry Brook (capt), Jacob Bethell, Tom Banton, Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Jamie Overton, Liam Dawson, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid.

After adapting on the fly to seal such a comprehensive win over the home side, New Zealand are also expected to keep the same balance, with the two quicks and five spin options at their disposal. Jimmy Neesham could return if conditions demand another seam option.

New Zealand: (probable) Tim Seifert (wk), Finn Allen, Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Daryl Mitchell, Mark Chapman, Mitchell Santner (capt), Cole McConchie, Matt Henry, Ish Sodhi, Lockie Ferguson.