Sports

Historic 100 metres feat and country’s relay chances

Published

5 years ago

2020/09/11

by Reemus Fernando

With Italy based sprinter Yupun Abeykoon claiming the national record in the 100 metres on Tuesday, Sri Lanka now has three current athletes who have run the glamour event of the track and field sport under 10.30 seconds, a strong position not many countries of this region can boast of. The recent performances of these three sprinters and the other emerging athletes are indicate a bright prospect in the 4×100 metres relay. Leading athletic analyst and Sri Lanka Athletics statistician Saman Kumara says that a strong team inclusive of these sprinters can strive for sub 39 seconds in the 4×100 metres relay. Sub 39 seconds will help the country strive for Olympic qualifying rankings for the postponed Tokyo event.

Incidentally, the former national record holders of the 100 metres Himasha Eshan and Vinoj Suranjaya were part of the team that established the current National men’s 4×100 metres record in 2018. Shehan Ambepitiya who was part of that team has retired. You need only simple mathematics to understand what four inform sprinters, inclusive of the incumbent record holder of the 100 metres and two former record holders, could do to the 39.08 seconds 4×100 metres national record established during the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in 2018.

Sri Lanka won the 4×100 metres relay at the regional South Asian Games ousting India in December. But that doesn’t get Sri Lanka anywhere closer to an Olympics spot in the 4×100 metres. You need to be ranked within the first two dozen teams in the World Athletics rankings to be eligible for an Olympic spot in the 4×100 metres relay.

It will be too early to predict the country’s prospects, with the locally trained athletes still waiting to flex their muscles in the aftermath of the covid 19 pandemic but authorities can be optimistic about chances at Asian events. It is incumbent upon authorities to look after these promising athletes as the country’s current pool of men’s 100 metres sprinters are in a historic position.

The country’s 100 metres had experienced somewhat similar position in the early 50’s when the likes of Sumanthiran Nawaratnam (Summa Nawaratnam), Oscar Wijesinghe and B.C. Henricus, all who had held the record, used to form formidable relay teams in the illustrious company of Duncan White.

The men’s 100 metres record had remained stranded for more than one and half decades when Himasha Eshan broke it in Guwahati in 2016. After the exploits of Sriyantha Dissanayake, country’s only 100 metres medalist at an Asian Games (1990 Beijing) and Chinthaka Soyza in the 90s, no Sri Lankan had run an Olympics 100 metres. But since Himasha’s feat the record has changed hands three times a promising sign for better days ahead.

After the world moved to 100 metres from the 100 yards Sri Lanka had only 11 record holders from 1949 to 2020. The record had improved 17 times within that period.

The coveted record had been under the belt of some outstanding individuals who were household names. Osmand de Silva (10.2 secs, hand timing) who held the record for three years from 1931 later became country’s Inspector General of Police. Double international Summa Nawaratnam who improved the record more than once was once called the fastest in Asia. Olympian Sunil Gunawardena who held the record for two decades since 1970 later became national coach and was an influential head of the Athletics Association of Sri Lanka. K.L.F. Wijedasa who took the record in 1955 was the national coach in 70s and 80s. Upali S. Gunaratne who held the record when the event was conducted as 100 yards in 1938 later became a Vice President of the Athletics Association of Sri Lanka.

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Lanka Premier League draft set to take place on March 22

Published

17 mins ago

2026/01/13

Priyan

The sixth edition of the LPL will take place in July-August 2026 [Cricinfo]

There will be no auction for this year’s Lanka Premier League, Sri Lanka Cricket has announced, with a player draft set to take place instead on March 22.

The sixth edition of the LPL had originally been slated for early December 2025, but was postponed on account of ensuring the readiness of venues for the 2026 World Cup set to be co-hosted by Sri Lanka and India. The league has since been scheduled to take place from July 8 to August 8, which is the SLC’s preferred window.

This will be the first time since 2022 that a draft system is being utilised in the LPL, with both of the past two seasons hosting player auctions.

“During the draft, franchises will select both Sri Lankan and overseas players for the upcoming season of Sri Lanka’s premier domestic T20 tournament,” an SLC media release confirmed.

The inclusion of a sixth team had also been mooted prior to the competition’s postponement, however there have been no developments on that front since. Each of the first five editions of the LPL saw five teams representing Colombo, Galle, Kandy, Dambulla and Jaffna compete.

Earlier this year, Jaffna Kings – formerly the longest-standing franchise, having joined in the tournament’s second edition – and Colombo Strikers were terminated by SLC for “failure to uphold contractual obligations.” As a result, the LPL currently has no franchise owners with a history stretching back beyond 2024. New owners for both the Jaffna and Colombo teams are yet to be announced.

[Cricinfo]

Sports

Hasaranga backs Sri Lanka for World Cup semi-final push

Published

13 hours ago

2026/01/13

Sahan Weerasooriya

Sri Lanka’s leg-spin spearhead Wanindu Hasaranga has warned rivals not to write off the hosts ahead of the World Cup, after his four-wicket burst in the final T20I against Pakistan helped Sri Lanka square the three-match series on Sunday.

Hasaranga’s spell turned the game on its head and restored belief in a side that has blown hot and cold. Speaking after being named Player of the Match and Player of the Series, the leg-spinner said Sri Lanka, buoyed by home conditions, remain very much in the hunt for a semi-final berth.

Under head coach Sanath Jayasuriya, Sri Lanka have made steady strides over the past 18 months. There have been a few distractions recently like changes in selectors and captaincy among them, but the dressing room, Hasaranga insisted, is quietly confident.

“We know the conditions and we’ve grown up playing in these conditions,” Hasaranga said. “If we use them well, we can have a major impact. Players need to identify their roles. Once that happens, we can put on a good show.”

Sunday’s decider was reduced to 12 overs a side after rain delayed the start by more than two hours, but Hasaranga felt the shortened contest still offered valuable lessons.

“Today we looked good,” he said. “We’ve been lacking a bit of consistency in recent years. In a World Cup, you have to minimise mistakes and keep moving forward.”

Bowling with a wet ball tested the spinners’ skills and patience, but Hasaranga viewed it as useful match practice rather than an inconvenience.

“It was challenging with a wet ball,” he explained. “But it’s good these things happen before a World Cup. It prepares you for all kinds of situations. I even spoke to our batters about what deliveries they’d prefer to face, and that input helped when we went out to defend.”

Sri Lanka now enjoy a week’s breather before hosting England with Hasaranga keen to see his side peak at the right time.

“When this series started, we had six games leading into the World Cup,” he said. “Rain in Dambulla meant things didn’t always go to plan. As a team, we wanted winning momentum. There are only a couple of games left now and we need to be firing on all cylinders when the World Cup begins.”

Sri Lanka had stumbled in the opener, losing by six wickets after being bowled out inside 20 overs, while the second match was washed out without a toss. A 14-run win in the final game, however, ensured honours ended even.

Rex Clementine
in Dambulla

Sports

Sunil Gunawardana among contenders for top post of Sri Lanka Athletics

Published

13 hours ago

2026/01/13

Sahan Weerasooriya

It will be a four-way battle for the top post of Sri Lanka Athletics as fresh nominations for the election of office bearers closed at the Sports Ministry on Monday. Former president Sunil Gunawardana, Bimal Wijesinhge, Sugath Kumara and Prasanna Indika are the nominees for the post of president and they are subjected to objections.

‎This is the second time the Ministry of Sports called for nominations after different stakeholders successfully challanged the earlier niminations alleging that there were errors in the process.

‎Informed sources said that this time too the Ministry of Sports has left enough room for allegations as it announced the names of the nominees without waiting for the nominations sent by post.

‎”There was a fundamental error as they did not wait for nominations sent by post. They informed the stake holders by post. Some member federations had received the letters only on last Thursday. They were in a mighty hurry to announce the names of the nominees soon after the nominations closed,” a source close to athletics told The Island.

‎Following are the nominees for various posts of Sri Lanka Athletics.

‎‎President: Sunil Gunawardana, Bimal Wijesinhge, Prasanna Indika, Sugath Kumara

‎‎Vice President: Prasanna Indika, Lal Chandrakumara, Lt. Col. G.N. Jayathilaka, Irangani Rupasinghe, Jagath Silva, G.J. Siyamudali, Prasanna Aluvihare

‎‎Secretary: Dr. Dhammika Senanayake, Sameera Perera, Madawa Herath

‎Asst. Secretary: Sameera Perera, Aloy Wickramasinghe (RF)