Lack of competition leaves Olympic hopefuls lagging behind standards

by Reemus Fernando

Youth Asian Championship medallist Harsha Karunaratne made a remarkable return to competition to continue the family trend and his school’s tradition as he won the men’s 800 metres at the Stage One of the Sri Lanka Army Athletics Championship at the Sugathadasa Stadium on Tuesday.

Former Ratnayake Central, Walala athlete, who won the Youth Asian Championship silver in 2017, was out of competition for more than two years due to a health condition, for which he needed surgery. Harsha, who inspired his younger sister also to produce record breaking feats at junior level, turned tables on Asian Championship participant Rusiru Chathuranga during the last 80 metres at yesterday’s event.

In winning the 800 metres title, the athlete trained by Susantha Fernando clocked 1:51.06 seconds, his personal best.

It was a joyous moment not only for Sri Lanka Army Service Corps, his regiment, but also for the athletics strong hold of Walala, who have established their dominance in this discipline in Sri Lanka.

While the discipline’s men’s and women’s national records are held by former Ratnayake Central athletes, namely Dilshi Kumarasinghe (women’s) and Indunil Herath, Sri Lanka Junior records are also written against names of former Ratnayake Central athletes.

Like the National Athletics Championship, the Sri Lanka Army Athletics Championship too is conducted in stages due to the Covid 19 pandemic.

Yesterday’s stage one witnessed just two meet records being established and some of the Olympic aspirants struggling to improve their seasonal best performances.

Sprinter Himasha Eshan broke the meet record with a feat of 10.34 seconds in the men’s 100 metres. Chamod Yodasinghe finished second in a time of10.73 seconds. National champion Amasha de Silva lived up to her reputation clocking 11.93 seconds to win the women’s 100 metres dash.

The other meet record was established by W.S.M. Fernando who threw the put to a distance of 16.89 metres.

In a strange move national champion Kalinga Kumarage did not feature in the men’s 400 metres final despite winning his heat in a time of 46.59 seconds. Aruna Dharshana won the final in a time of 47.05 seconds.

In the corresponding women’s event Nadeesha Ramanayake was hampered by lack of competition. Ramanayake who is ranked 56th in the Road to Olympics rankings returned a time of 54.48 seconds. Kaushalya Madushani was placed second with a time of 58.11 seconds.

Rio Olympic participant Sumeda Ranasinghe cleared 73.57 metres which is well behind the tough qualifying standard but that could help him retain his ranking.

Dilhani Lekamge’s winning throw of 56.94 metres in the women’s javelin was nearly three metres further than that of the second placed Olympian Nadeeka Lakmali’s best throw.

Steeplechase athlete Nilani Ratnayake, who is the only Sri Lankan track and field athlete so far to be within the required ranking position (as of yesterday) to earn Tokyo Olympic qualification, won her event in a time of 10:05.02 seconds.

In the men’s long jump Janaka Prasad Wimalasiri cleared a distance of 7.94 metres.