Masters double international Rajiva Wijetunge, who participated in his 100th athletics meet, made it a memorable one by winning gold for Shot Put and silver for Discus Throw in the 65 – 69 age category at the Singapore Masters Athletics Meet conducted at the Home of Athletics Stadium, Kallang Singapore over the weekend. With the gold and the sliver madals won by Rajiva, his international medals tally stands at 34 on his 67th birthday today (June 08).

The ITF J30 Week 2 Junior Tennis Tournament concluded at the SSC Courts on Sunday with Sri Lanka’s rising stars Dinara de Silva and Aahil Kaleel emerging as the girls’ and boys’ singles champions respectively.

‎The St. Bridget’s Convent, Colombo player produced a commanding performance in the girls’ singles final, defeating fellow Sri Lankan Yuhansa Peiris 4-1, 4-1 to secure the title. The victory marked another significant achievement for one of the country’s leading junior players.

‎According to family sources, the tournament is expected to be Dinara’s final ITF Junior event on Sri Lankan soil, making the title triumph a memorable farewell appearance before she turns her attention to competitions abroad.

‎In the boys’ singles final, S. Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia player Aahil Kaleel battled back strongly to defeat India’s Chauhan Shiok 4-5, 4-0, 10-6 in an entertaining contest. After narrowly losing the opening set, Aahil dominated the second set before holding his nerve in the match tie-break to clinch the championship.

‎The victory was historic for Aahil, who became the first Sri Lankan player in 14 years to win the boys’ singles title at an ITF Junior tournament held in Sri Lanka. The last local player to achieve the feat was Shamal Dissanayake, who captured the title in 2012.

‎Adding further significance to the double success, both Dinara and Aahil train under the guidance of the Dineshkanthan Tennis School, highlighting the academy’s growing contribution to the development of Sri Lankan junior tennis.

‎The tournament concluded on a positive note for Sri Lanka, with local players claiming both singles titles and demonstrating the promising future of the country’s next generation of tennis talent.

Sri Lanka’s former national javelin record holders Sachith Maduranga and Waruna Lakshan Dayaratne have hailed Rumesh Tharanga’s historic performance at the Rome Diamond League as a defining moment for Sri Lankan athletics, saying it has shattered long-standing misconceptions about the country’s ability to compete with the world’s best.

‎Tharanga produced a stunning world-leading throw of 92.62 metres at the Golden Gala Pietro Mennea meeting in Rome, setting a new meet record and becoming the first Sri Lankan athlete to win a Diamond League event.

‎Former national record holder Sachith Maduranga described the achievement as a watershed moment that had broken a number of myths which had prevented Sri Lankan athletes from believing they could excel at the highest international level.

‎”He has taken the javelin to a totally new level,” Maduranga said in an interview with The Island from Australia.

‎Reflecting on Tharanga’s early days in the sport, Maduranga recalled the confidence and determination displayed by the athlete from a young age.

‎”In one of his first encounters with me, he said that he would definitely break my junior record,” Maduranga said.

‎The former Asian Championships medallist revealed that after Tharanga’s impressive performances as a junior athlete, he strongly encouraged him to seek overseas training opportunities. Maduranga said he, together with a former president of Sri Lanka Athletics, had urged Tharanga to follow a similar path to the one that helped him secure success at the continental level.

‎However, Tharanga remained committed to working under his long-time coach Tony Prasanna.

‎”But he insisted that he would continue to train with his coach Tony Prasanna. Now he has proven that the knowledge of his local coach was enough to beat the world. This is phenomenal,” Maduranga said.

‎Former national record holder Waruna Lakshan Dayaratne also praised Tharanga’s remarkable achievement, joining the growing chorus of admiration for a performance that has elevated Sri Lankan athletics to unprecedented heights.

‎Tharanga’s Rome triumph has not only rewritten the record books but has also provided compelling evidence that world-class success can be achieved through dedication, talent and high-quality coaching available within Sri Lanka. His achievement is expected to inspire a new generation of athletes to dream bigger and challenge the world’s elite on the global stage. (RF)