Long jump prodigy Dilni smashes 29-year-old record

Sir John Tarbat Senior Athletics Championship

by Reemus Fernando

The 14-year-old prodigy Dilni Rajapaksha shattered one of the longest standing meet records of the Sir John Tarbat Senior Athletics Championship to establish herself as a future prospect for Sri Lanka in the field of athletics at the Sugathadasa Stadium on Monday.

The athlete trained by Damitha Dahanayake twice cleared the six metre mark to improve on the decades old record held by former national champion Anoma Sooriyarachchi.

It was all expected as the Lyceum International, Wattala athlete had cleared the six metre mark in the lead up to the championship.

No Sri Lankan athlete had cleared the six metre mark competing in the Under 16 age category before the young athlete dazzled with a stunning performance last month.

Dilni cleared 6.26 metres at the Western Province Schools Games athletics championship in September. The performance earned her the best athlete title in the girls’ category.

Yesterday, she cleared 6.01 metres in her fourth attempt before further improving it to 6.12 in her final jump. Her closest rivals from Vijitha Central, Dikwella, cleared 5.27 m and 5.26 m respectively to share the podium.

Former national champion Anoma Sooriyarachchi, who is now domiciled in the UK had cleared 5.61 metres to establish the meet record way back in 1995. The Southland Balika, Galle athlete’s meet record was the third oldest record in the girls category behind Damayanthi Dharsha’s 100m, and 200 metres Under 20 records established in 1992.

With yesterday’s performance Dilni has surpassed the long jump meet records in both the Under 18 (6.09m) and Under 20 (6.01m) age categories which are written against the names of the reigning national long jump champion Madushani Herath (2022) and national record holder Sarangi Silva (2014) respectively.

Dilni will now attempt the triple jump meet record in the Under 16 age category.