More athletes reach entry standards for world junior championship

by Reemus Fernando

Lyceum high jumper Tharusha Mendis and hurdler Sandun Kosala, De Mazenod sprinter Koushan Thamel and Vimansa Rajakaruna from Kurunegala bettered entry standards for the World Junior Championships as they excelled during the first two days of the Junior National Athletics Championship at Diyagama.

Mendis erased more than two decades old Under 18 meet record of Manjula Kumara when he cleared 2.14 metres to win the Under 18 boys high jump event. The world junior event entry standard is set at 2:10m.

Kosala clocked 14.17 seconds in the 110 metres hurdles on Saturday to better the (14.20) world junior championship entry standard.

Vimansa Rajakaruna clocked an impressive 21.33 seconds in the 200 m heats, while Koushan Thamel produced a time of 21.26 seconds in the 200 metres.

Some six athletes had reached entry standards for the world event to be held in Peru before the Junior National Championship commenced.

Commonwealth Youth Games medallist Ayomal Akalanka who had already reached entry standards for the world event and Asian Youth Championship medallist Thushen Silva established new meet records and Lyceum International Wattala jumper Dilni Rajapaksa bagged her second gold of the meet to hog limelight on day two.

The Maris Stella College Negombo pole vaulter Thushen was not near his personal beat but his jump of 4.81 metres was enough to erase the record held by A. Puvitharan of Hindu College, Chavakachcheri. The pole vault which commenced on Saturday was interrupted by rain and Sri Lanka Athletics had to complete the event on the second day yesterday.

Thushen’s schoolmate Nimuthu Oshada bagged the silver with a feat of 4.0 metres while C. Thushanthan of Mahajana College Jaffna prevented a Maris Stella clean sweep by winning the third place ahead of Raheema Hasthika.

Ambagamuwa MV hurdler Ayomal Akalanka once again ran sub 53 seconds to better the World Junior Championship entry standard in the Under 20 boys 400 metres hurdles. The Commonwealth Youth Games medallist clocked 52.18 seconds in the heats before winning the final in a new meet record time of 51.53 seconds.

Rajapaksa had a remarkable start winning the Under 16 girls’ long jump with a new record mark of 4.8 metres. The Lyceum athlete followed up her record breaking feat with gold in the triple jump. She cleared 11.26 metres.

Emerging 800 metres sensation Tharushi Abisheka missed the entry standard of the World Junior Championship by just two seconds but managed to write her name against the meet record in the Under 18 800 metres. She clocked 2:11.06 seconds to erase Shanika Lakshani’s record established in 2019.

In the Under 16 boys 800 metres Nethan Willaddara of Rahula College Matara created a new record winning in a time of 1:58.92 seconds.