Maris Stella and Lyceum win, Joseph Vaz penalized as Ayomal, Madushani bag best athlete titles

All Island Schools Games

by Reemus Fernando

Ambagamuwa Central hurdler Ayomal Akalanka capped the five-day All Island Schools Games Athletics Championship with a new national junior record to bag the best athlete title in the boys’ category at the Sugathadasa Stadium on Tuesday.

The athlete trained by veteran coach Anura Bandara clocked 51.16 seconds to break his own 400 metres hurdles record (51.26) established at the National Championships. In the girls’ category Nannapurawa MV Bibila athlete Madushani Herath was adjudged the best athlete of the meet for her outstanding performance in the Under 20 long jump (6.19m). She concluded her remarkable schools carrier winning the Under 20 triple jump title (12.49m) on the final day.

Maris Stella College, Negombo and Lyceum International Wattala bagged the overall boys’ and girls’ titles after strong contenders St. Joseph Vaz’s College, Wennappuwa were penalized and part of the points they earned were deducted for violating procedure of fielding newly admitted athletes at the All Island Schools Games Athletics Championship.

The final day commenced with authorities announcing a deduction of 41 points from the track and field stronghold of North Western Province. It is learnt that the authorities of St. Joseph Vaz’s College had received the blessings of the director of sports of North Western Province to field athletes who had joined the school after their OL exams.

Those athletes were allowed to compete in the meet but the school was not awarded points for their performances.

While Lyceum Wattala were the champions in the girls’ category, Ratnayake Central settled for the runner up position.

Maris Stella won the boys’ title.