Sports
Ministry of Education delivers another blow to endurance events
Schools long distance relay dropped again
by Reemus Fernando
The Ministry of Education has scrapped the distance medley relay which was reintroduced to the programme of the All Island Schools Relay Carnival at its last edition. The relay is not in the All Island Schools Relay Carnival agenda of the recently issued circular outlining the programmes pertaining to school sports.
Sports authorities of the ministry have also disregarded numerous requests to include the 4×800 metres relay into the Under-16 age category.
The decision to scrap the distance medley relay comes as a surprise as the organizers of the last edition were determined to reintroduce the event to the Under-20 age category as well following the success of the event in the Under-18 age category at the 2019 edition.
The distance medley relay was reintroduced to the programme in 2019 after many schools nurturing athletes for long distance events made requests to include it.
Sports Authorities of the Ministry of Education have given scant regard to endurance events, despite local athletes proving potential to impress at regional international events in the 800 metres and long distance events as of late.
Currently the country’s top three 800 metres runners in the women’s category occupy top positions in Asian rankings. Sri Lanka’s women’s 800 metres specialists Nimali Liyanarachchi, Gayanthika Abeyratne and Dilshi Kumarasinghe are currently ranked third, fifth and sixth respectively in Asian rankings. In 2020 the trio were responsible for producing the second, third and fourth fastest times in the Asian region. Currently the only athlete to have come closer to booking a berth at the Tokyo Olympic, Nilani Ratnayake, is also a distance runner.
Currently the athlete who is closest to achieving entry standard for the World Under-20 Athletics Championship, Shanika Lakshani is also a distance runner having 800 metres as her pet event.
The country’s highest achievement at the 2017 Asian Youth Athletics Championship (Under-18) came in the 800 metres when Harsha Dissanayake won a silver.
Sri Lanka’s only Youth Olympic medalist, Paarami Wasanthi won her medal at the Buenos Aires Games in 2018 in a long distance event, the 2000 metres steeplechase.
The Sports Authorities of the Ministry have made changes to the lower age category competitions removing the points system and introducing merit standards to issue certificates instead of recognizing the first second and third positions of events in the Under-12 and under-14 age categories. That has been cited by some as the only positive move the authorities have made.
Sources close to the Education Ministry said that there had been numerous requests to introduce middle and long distance events to the schools track and field programmes. Such requests includes introduction of the 3,000 metres to the Under-18 age category. Currently the 3000 metres event is competed in this age category at the Junior National Championship conducted by Sri Lanka Athletics and the Sir John Tarbet Senior Championships conducted by Sri Lanka Schools Athletics Association. But the Ministry of Education has continued to give a wide berth to long distance events.
The absence of long distance relays will badly affect schools and coaches promoting long distance events among athletes largely hailing from outstations. Many coaches and school officials promote All Island Schools Relay Carnival among their athletes to keep them interested in track and field as the event encourages team spirit and provides the second string a rare opportunity to win medals alongside prominent athletes.
Shammi Silva has once again taken guard at the top of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), securing a fourth consecutive term as President at the Annual General Meeting, held amidst much fanfare at Colombo’s Cinnamon Grand Hotel yesterday.
Already calling the shots as President of the Asian Cricket Council, Silva’s crowning achievement in recent years has been bringing the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup to Sri Lankan shores. The marquee tournament will be co-hosted by Sri Lanka and India next year, a feather in the cap for the country’s cricket administrators.
Silva’s administration has made a concerted effort to bridge the yawning gap between domestic and international cricket. One of the bold strokes in this innings has been trimming the number of First-Class teams – a move aimed at upping the quality and sharpening the edge of domestic cricket.
SLC Ex-Co also played a straight bat when it comes to developing cricket beyond Colombo’s city limits. High Performance Centres have sprung up across the outstations, rolling out the red carpet for raw talent from the hinterlands, who had previously been left in the pavilion.
The school cricket circuit too has been given a shot in the arm, with infrastructure development and skill enhancement taking centre stage. By strengthening the grassroots, the current administration hopes to widen the talent pool and unearth future stars of the game.
SLC’s balance sheet tells its own story – healthy and in the black. Over the past five years, the board’s financial stability has not only benefited cricket, but has also allowed it to lend a helping hand to other sports disciplines, at the request of the Ministry of Sports.
With over three decades of experience under his belt as a sports administrator, Shammi Silva is the long-serving President of the Colombo Cricket Club (CCC), one of the game’s oldest institutions in the country.
The 64th AGM was largely a case of “same XI, new season,” with only one notable change to the playing field – Secretary Mohan de Silva making way for seasoned campaigner Bandula Dissanayake. No stranger to the inner workings of SLC, Dissanayake has previously chaired the Tournament and Umpires Committees, and brings a wealth of experience to the table.
Dr. Jayantha Dharmadasa and former First-Class player Ravin Wickramaratne retained their Vice-President slots, while Sujeewa Godaliyadda continues to hold the Treasurer’s post. Chryshantha Kapuwatta and Lasantha Wickremasinghe will once again don the hats of Assistant Secretary and Assistant Treasurer, respectively.
The election, part of SLC’s biannual cycle, was overseen and greenlit by the Election Committee chaired by retired Court of Appeal Justice Malani Gunaratne.
Vidyaloka College fought back on the back of a valuable century by Nimesh Aavinda to pull off two wickets victory over Kingswood in the Under 19 Division II Tier ‘B’ cricket tournament final played at Saliyapura, Anuradhapura on Monday.
Vidyaloka had a deficit of 36 runs in the first innings but a combined effort helped them restrict Kingswood to 161 runs in the second essay. They were left with a target of 198 runs to chase. And they achieved it with Nimesh Aavinda top scoring with 115 runs.
Scores
Kingswood
227 all out in 83.3 overs (Chanul Kodituwakku 33, Aadil Sheriff 69, Kavija Gamage 25, Nikeshala Nanayakkara 56; Seniru Ninduwara 4/74, Lidula Nuwanga 2/58, Nimesh Aavinda 2/48, Pulindu Chamuditha 2/19) and 161 all out in 65.3 overs (Kavija Gamage 57, Nikeshala Nanayakkara 45; Seniru Ninduwara 2/45, Pulindu Chamuditha 2/07)
Vidyaloka
191 all out in 79.3 overs (Lidula Nuwanga 81, Seniru Ninduwara 34, Tharusha Jayamith 23; Kavija Gamage 4/63, Upadi Jayawardane 2/41) and 200 for 8 in 48.3 overs( Nimesh Aavinda 114, Lidula Nuwanga 34, Seniru Ninduwara 28; Kavija Gamage 3/80, Dominsara Peiris 2/51)
by Reemus Fernando
There was a growing sense of uncertainty surrounding the hosting of the 120th edition of the Lovers’ Quarrel Big Match after Richmond College raised concerns over an attempt by Mahinda College to field a newly recruited player in the team at the historic match which was scheduled to commence on Thursday.
Richmond College authorities have informed Mahinda that they would pullout from the match if the newly recruited player who played for St. Aloysius’ in the just concluded Under 19 cricket tournament is included in the Big Match team.
According to sources Mahinda College have recruited St. Aloysius’ skipper Charya Paranavithana at the end of the Under 19 cricket tournament and are yet to register him under their name with Sri Lanka Schools Cricket Association. They have included the player in the Big Match squad.
A source close to Mahinda said that though the player is included in the squad he was not certain to be in the playing XI.
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