Sports

Lahiru among top medal prospects as Asian Youth Games commence

Published

3 months ago

2025/10/23

Lahiru Achintha

Asian Youth Championship medallist Lahiru Achintha and sprinters vying for honours in the relays are among the brightest medal prospects for Sri Lanka when the track and field action of the Asian Youth Games commences in Bahrain today.

‎Achintha of St. Aloysius’ College, Rathnapura has a personal best of 3:53.05 seconds in the 1500m. Apart from his Japanese counterparts he is the fastest in the distance in Asia among athletes born in 2009 going by the World Athletics recognized performances this year.

‎He is selected to compete in both the 1,500m and 3,000 metres.

‎Sri Lanka also has bright medal prospects in the girls’ and boys’ medley relays.

‎A team of 13 boys and eight girls are set to compete in track and field events.

‎The athletes, their schools and events tthey aking part are as follows.

‎Boys:

‎Shanuka Costa (400m, Medley Relay – Gateway College, Colombo)

‎Nathan Willaddara (800m – Rahula College, Matara)

‎Lahiru Achintha (1500m, 3000m – St. Aloysius’ College, Rathnapura)

‎Kisal Gagandara (110m Hurdles – Kularatne MV, Godakawela)

‎Methuka Malhiru (400m Hurdles – Ananda Sastralaya, Kotte)

‎Chirantha Deshan (2000m Steeplechase – Ginigathhena MV)

‎Rusith Nimsara (Long Jump – St. Servatius’ College, Matara)

‎Savindu Sudharaka (Triple Jump – Kahawatta MV)

‎Chathura Jayathissa (Javelin Throw – Weera Parakrama MV Yatawaththa)

‎Vishal Fernando (Medley Relay – St. Joseph Vaz’s College Wennappuwa)

‎Bigumina Senavirathne (Medley Relay- Ananda Sastralaya, Matugama)

‎Loshana de Silva (Medley Relay- Holy Cross College, Kalutara)

‎Chamindu Sathsara (Medley Relay- Dudley Senanayake College, Tholangamuwa)

‎‎Girls:

‎Tharani Nirmina (100m, 200m, Medley Relay – Holy Cross College, Gampaha)

‎Chenadi Dewhara (400m, Medley Relay – Gamini NS, Bentota)

‎Nethmi Gimhani (800m, 1500m – St. Andrew’s College, Puttlam)

‎Chamalsha Dewmini (100m Hurdles – Welimada Central)

‎Amaya Peduru Hewa (400m Hurdles – Devapathiraja College Rathgama)

‎Dilni Rajapaksha (Long Jump, Triple Jump – Lyceum Inyernational Wattala)

‎Kaushalya Jayawardhana (Medley Relay – Lyceum Inyernational Wattala)

‎Movindi Wansanayaka (Medley Relay – Maliyadewa Balika)‎

by Reemus Fernando

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U19 World Cup: Japan defeat Tanzania by nine wickets

Published

10 hours ago

2026/01/25

Priyan

Nihar Parmar hit an unbeaten fifty in Japan's chase [Cricinfo]

Nihar Parmar produced an excellent all-round display as Japan comfortably defeated Tanzania by nine wickets at Windhoek in the first playoffs for the 13th to 16th-places.

After Tanzania elected to bat, opener Karim Kiseto departed for a duck, but Acrey Pascal and Ayaan Shariff steadied the innings with a productive 79-run stand. Pascal top-scored with a patient 55 before falling to Kazuma Kato Stafford, but it was Parmar who turned the game on its head.

The Japanese all-rounder struck twice in consecutive deliveries to remove Shariff for 40 and Agustino Mwamele for a golden duck, sparking a dramatic collapse. From a relatively comfortable 118/2, Tanzania capitulated to 131 all out inside the next seven overs. Parmar finished with excellent figures of 4 for 30, while Nikhil Pol chipped in with 3 for 23 as the duo tore through the lower order.

Chasing a modest target, Japan made light work of the run chase. Parmar and Taylor Waugh constructed a clinical 122-run opening partnership, putting the result beyond doubt. Waugh fell short of a half-century, run out for 47, before Parmar reached his fifty and remained unbeaten on 53. Pol joined him to finish the job, guiding Japan home with more than 24 overs to spare.

Brief scores:
Tanzania 131 in 38.3 overs (Acrey Pascal 55; Nihar Parmar 4-30, Nikhil Pol 3-23) lost to Japan 136/1 in 28.2 overs (Nihar Parmar 53*, Taylor Waugh 47) by nine wickets

[Cricbuzz]

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U19 World Cup: Ambrish’s four-fer powers India to third straight win

Published

10 hours ago

2026/01/25

Priyan

India secured their third win in the group stage [Cricbuzz]

India bundled out New Zealand for a mere 135 in their final Group B fixture of the Under-19 World Cup before waltzing home to a comfortable seven-wicket win at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo. The comprehensive victory was set up by RS Ambrish’s four-wicket haul (4 for 19) and well-supported by Henil Patel’s three scalps (3 for 23) and ensured India finished the group stage with a perfect record of three wins from three matches.

After winning the toss, skipper Ayush Mhatre had no hesitation in bowling first on an overcast morning in Bulawayo. The decision was vindicated immediately as the Indian bowlers ran through the New Zealand top order. New Zealand slumped to 22 for 5 inside 10 overs.

The game was twice interrupted by rain, reducing it to a 37-over contest, but India’s bowlers maintained relentless pressure throughout. New Zealand’s lower-order mounted a brief recovery thanks in large part to an unbeaten 37 from Callum Samson but their total of 135 was never going to test a strong Indian batting line-up.

In response, India chased down the DLS-altered target of 130 with seven wickets in hand, with Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Ayush Mhatre leading the charge with a 76-run partnership off just 39 balls. Mhatre hit half-a-dozen sixes in his 27-ball 53 while Suryavanshi added 40 off 23. The win was completed in just 81 balls, showcasing India’s dominance with the bat.

While the win consolidated India’s position heading into the Super Six after a nervy game against Bangladesh, for New Zealand, who had their previous two matches washed out, this was a disappointing return to action against a quality Indian bowling attack.

Brief Scores:
New Zealand 135 in 36.2 overs (RS Ambrish 4-29, Henil Patel 3-23) lost to India 130/3 in 13.3 overs (Vaibhav Suryavanshi 40, Ayush Mhatre 53) by 7 wickets [DLS Method]

[Cricbuzz]

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Josh Hoey breaks world 800m short track record with 1:42.50 in Boston

Published

10 hours ago

2026/01/25

Priyan

Josh Hoey had said he was excited to take a shot at the world 800m short track record in Boston and he was right on target as he clocked 1:42.50* to improve the 28-year-old mark at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix – the first World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold meeting of the season – on Saturday (24).

Seven weeks on from setting a world 600m short track best, also in Boston, the US world indoor champion made more history as he took 0.17 off the world record of 1:42.67 set by Wilson Kipketer at the World Indoor Championships in Paris in 1997.

Hoey went into the race as the second-fastest indoor 800m runner of all time thanks to the North American record of 1:43.24 he ran at the US Indoor Championships in New York last year. But paced by his brother Jaxson, he leapt to the top of that all-time list, winning the race by more than two seconds.

Jaxson led his brother through the first 200m in 24.81 before 400m was reached in 50.21. Jaxson then stepped aside and Josh passed 600m in 1:16.19, holding on to cross the finish line in 1:42.50.

“We did a lot of pacing work,” said Josh, reflecting on his preparations for the race. “Just kind of kept steadily improving, taking it week by week, block by block, and we were able to make
this work.”

A world best had been set earlier in the programme, USA’s 2024 world indoor 1500m bronze medallist Hobbs Kessler clocking 4:48.79 to break the 2000m short track world best of 4:49.99 set by Kenenisa Bekele almost 19 years ago.

World short track 3000m record-holder Grant Fisher also dipped under the old world best, finishing second in 4:49.48.

[World Athletics]