Maris Stella’s triumph and Dilni’s rare feat

by Reemus Fernando

The victory of Maris Stella College, Negombo at the Athletics Championship of the Western Province Schools Games came as a surprise. With Lyceum International fielding as many as eight junior national champions in the girls’ category, it was a foregone conclusion that they would win the overall girls’ championship. But Maris Stella’s overall boys’ title triumph was out of the blues.

Where did Maris Stella win

Maris Stella are in the possession of one of the best pole vaulters to emerge from the school circuit in Thushen Silva. The Junior National champion and National Junior record holder had to pull out from the competition even without challenging his teammates due to an injury. Pole vault is an event Maris Stella had been dominating at these championships. The status quo remained so thanks to the efforts of Rahima Hasthika and Nimuthu Oshada who both cleared 3.60 metres to share the first place in the Under 20 event.

The victories in the Under 20 age category and back to back sprint triumphs by Dulneth Fernando (60m – 1st, 100m – 2nd) in the Under 14 age category stood in good stead for Maris Stella.

While Roshen Fernandopulle won the 400m hurdles, their sprint quartet dominated the 4x100m and 4x400m relays in the Under 20 age category.

In a close contest they edged out Lyceum by 16 points.

Maris Stella College won the overall boys’ championship at the Western Province Schools Games

Maris Stella aggregated 179 points.

In contrast, Lyceum dominated the girls’ category aggregating 280 points. The girls’ runners up Ave Maria Convent could accumulate only 136 points.

Lyceum had braced their ranks by further importing talent from outstations. Wickramabahu National Schools Gampola athlete Dulanjani Pradeepani represented Lyceum at the Junior National Championship this year. Her outstanding performances won Lyceum two events at the Western Province meet. She won them the 5000m and 1500m.

Their most outstanding performance however was that of the 14-year-old Dilni Rajapaksha. Dilni was adjudged the best athlete of the meet in the girls’ category for her record-breaking feat in the Under 16 long jump. It was a rare accomplishment for a girl of her age as the meet witnessed the performances of medallists who had just returned from the South Asian Junior Athletics Championship in Chennai. She cleared 6.26 metres to win. It is the first recorded time a girl in the Under 16 age category cleared the six metres barrier.

She established a new meet record when she cleared 5.80 metres at the Junior National Championship at the same venue last month. There she also bagged the triple jump title. If she continues in the same form, the meet records of the upcoming Sir John Tarbat Senior Championships and the All Island Schools Games are likely to be written against her name this season.

Dilni was also the winner of the high jump event at the Western Province Schools Games and did the anchor leg for Lyceum to win the Under 16 4×100 metres relay.

Senuri Sanjana who excelled in the 1500 m and 3000 m in the Under 18 category, Dhananjana Fernando (U18 200m) and Kaushaya Jayawardane (U16 400m) were among the others to shine for Lyceum in the girls’ category.

Strong performances are expected from them at the upcoming Sir John Tarbat Senior Championships and the All Island Schools Games where they will be looking forward to further establish their top position.