Nadun equals Randeniya’s national junior record

Samadi shatters 14-year-old meet record

All Island Schools Games Athletics Championships

by Reemus Fernando

Royal College athlete Nadun Bandara equaled the national junior record in the 110 metres hurdles and Samadi Lakshani Dissanayake of Swarnamali Balika, Kandy took under her belt the meet record in the Under 20 100 metres hurdles as they breathed new life to sprint hurdles on day four of the All Island Schools Athletics Championships at the Sugathadasa Stadium on Monday.

The premier schools event had not witnessed a sub 14 seconds performance in the Under 20 age category until the World Junior Championship participant blazed the track with a scintillating 13.64 seconds finish yesterday.

Bandara shattered Josephian Sheshan Kariyawasam’s meet record (14.21 secs- 2018) and equaled Supun Viraj Randeniya’s National Junior record, which the latter had established ten years ago in Ranchi.

With his latest feat Bandara has his name written against all age group (Under 16 100m in 2018 , Under 18 110m in 2019 and Under 20 110m) hurdles records of this meet.

In the girls’ Under 20 100 metres hurdles, Swarnamali Balika athlete Samadi Lakshani Dissanayake shattered Harshani Wijesinghe’s meet record (14.66 secs) established in 2008 with a feat of 14.55 seconds.

In a remarkable field event achievement, Hasitha Kavinda Dissanayake of Gnanodaya M.M.V, Wariyapola cleared 15.14 metres to establish a new meet record in the Under 18 boys’ triple jump. It was the first time that an athlete in his age category cleared the 15 metres barrier in the Under 18 triple jump at these championships.