Sports

Perseverance pays off for Nimali

Published

5 years ago

2021/07/11

Sahan Weerasooriya

Tokyo Olympics- 12 days to go

by Reemus Fernando

No runner has excelled in multiple track events like Nimali Liyanarachchi during the last one and half decades in Sri Lanka. Except the sprint events of 100 and 200 metres and the track’s longest event the 10,000 metres, Liyanarachchi has competed in all other distances and achieved success at national level in all. As her fellow track and field athletes and coach Sujith Abeysekara would vouch for, it was the perseverance and the dedication that powered Liyanarachchi to achieve success at national and at Asian level. The ‘universality place’ that Liyanarachchi received from World Athletics to take part in the Tokyo Olympics is the ultimate reward for her perseverance.

The middle distance runner from Sooriyawewa alongside Gayanthika Abeyratne were the biggest medal hopes for Sri Lanka at Asian level in the women’s category during the latter part of the last decade. The country was experiencing a medal drought after the retirement of the likes of Susanthika Jayasinghe, Damayanthi Dharsha and Sriyani Kulawansa. With the country experiencing a dearth of medals in sprint events at international events, coaches were starting to focus on middle distance events for success at regional events when Sujith Abeysekara unearthed a gem of an athlete from Sooriyawewa. First trained for endurance events, Liyanarachchi’s initial success came in the 3,000 metres steeplechase, a discipline not many female athletes were willing to persevere a decade ago.

The event was not even a fixture in the regional South Asian Games. The highest a steeplechaser could achieve was the national title. It was on this back drop that Liyanarachchi took it upon herself to make the event one of the look forward to events. She breathed the event a new life in 2008 when she slashed nearly 30 seconds off the then National record to hog limelight. Former national record holder C.G.K. Abeyratne and Eranga Dulakshi entered the fray as the national record changed hands during the next few years. In 2011 she became the first Sri Lankan woman to run the 3,000 metres under 11 minutes as she clocked 10:44.92 seconds to create a new national mark. By the time she gave up the discipline to concentrate on 800 metres, the 3,000 metres steeplechase national record had improved by more than one minute. Incidentally, Nilani Ratnayake who missed the Tokyo Olympic qualifying mark by the thinnest of margins recently had entered the arena by that time.

Of all disciplines, Liyanarachchi’s best achievements have come in the 800 metres, 1,500 metres and the 4×400 metres relays, though she has also competed in the 5,000 metres and the 400 metres hurdles with moderate success. In fact Liyanarachchi is the current national record holder of the 1,500 metres and the 4×400 metres relay (2019 Asian Championship). Liyanarachchi hinted that she was one of the country’s top international medal prospects when she broke Dhammika Menike’s more than two decades old national record in 2016 though she did not get due recognition for it then. The record lasted just one year before fellow athlete Gayanthika Abeyratne claimed it after a close duel with her.

Liyanarachchi has South Asian Games (2016) and Asian Athletics Championship (2017) golds against her name for prowess in the 800 metres. By March this year she was the third ranked Asian in her discipline and was ranked among the top 60 athletes in the world in the ‘Road to Olympics’ rankings. That was despite missing competitions in 2020. She was injured in a road accident on the eve of the team’s departure for the South Asian Games in 2019. After spending months in rehabilitation she returned to competition later in 2020 and had earned a top ranking in Asia by March this year. However Olympics is a different story. She is not among the best in the world to have hopes of a final berth. A good performance in a semi final, a feat closer to the national record could be expected..

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Sports

Dilshan, Hirupama named best athletes at All Island Schools Games Athletics Championships

Published

9 hours ago

2026/10/21

Sahan Weerasooriya

Lyceum International School, Wattala dominated the girls' category.

Hurdler Kaveesha Dilshan of Kularathna MV, Godakawela and sprinter Risansa Hirupama of Lyceum International, Wattala were named best athletes for their outstanding performances at the All Island Schools Games Athletics Championships, which concluded at Diyagama on Tuesday.

‎Dilshan earned the title with a 14.02-second run in the Under 20 boys’ 110m hurdles. Kishal Oshada, the best athlete in the Under 18 category, also comes from his school. Both hurdlers are trained by Thiron Gamage, and both outclassed their opponents in the sprint hurdles.

‎Hirupama excelled in the Under 20 girls’ 200m. Her time of 24.23 seconds earned the highest score in the girls’ events (1,026 points).

‎St. Joseph Vaz’s College, Wennappuwa, and Lyceum International, Wattala, claimed the overall boys’ and girls’ championships respectively.

Kaveesha Dilshan and sprinter Risansa Hirupama with
their best athlete awards. (Pix by Kamal Wanniarachchi

‎St. Joseph Vaz’s amassed 118 points to finish ahead of Maris Stella College, Thimbirigaskatuwa (95). Rahula College, Matara, took third place with 82 points. Former track and field powerhouses St. Benedict’s, Kotahena (54), and Maris Stella, Negombo (54), missed out on the top three.

‎Lyceum dominated the girls’ category with 215 points. Dharmapala College, Pannipitiya (70), and Ave Maria Convent, Negombo (62), finished second and third respectively.

‎For the first time in more than two decades, Ratnayake Central were not among the leading teams in the girls’ category. Most of their athletes struggled after an outbreak of flu, but late performances over the last two days helped them secure fourth place. (RF)

Sports

Wesley upset Richmond to join Mahanama and Nalanda in semis

Published

9 hours ago

2026/10/21

Sahan Weerasooriya

St. Joseph Vaz's College Wennappuwa won the boys' overall championship.

Mahanma College, Colombo and Nalanda College Colombo registeted convincing victories in the quarter finals while dark horses Wesley ended Richmond’s unbeaten run with a win according to the DLS method to seal the semi-final spots of the Under 19 Division I Tier A tournament on Tuesday.

‎Mahanama rattled St. Joseph’s for meagre 84 runs before cruising to a seven-wicket win at Mattegoda. Kaushika Thilakarathne and Sanuka Ganepola shared seven wickets between them to trouble the Joes.

‎Thilakarathne spearheaded the bowling attack, claiming four wickets for 13 runs in nine overs, while Sanuka Ganepola supported him with an impressive spell of three for nine in nine overs. Sanul Weerarathne captured two wickets for 12 runs.

‎Mahanama reached 85 for three wickets as Sineth Veerarathne top scored with 52 runs (53 balls).

‎Nalanda College defeated St. Anthony’s College, Katugastota by 77 runs at Campbell Place.

‎Nalanda posted a competitive 234 for six in their allotted 50 overs, with Ranmith Senarath top-scoring with 52 off 79 balls. Nemindu Akmeemana contributed 47, while Lithum Wijekumara made 32. Mihin Zoysa added 29 before Santhul Wijeyarathne provided a late boost with an unbeaten 30 off just 13 deliveries.

‎In their essay St. Anthony’s were dismissed for 157 in 44 overs. Sadew Amarakoon fought hard with 47 off 94 balls, while Kaushika Kumarasinghe scored 38 off 41 deliveries. However, Nalanda’s bowlers maintained control, with Rusandu Silva taking four wickets for 22 runs. Osanda Pamuditha supported him with two wickets for 22 runs to seal a convincing victory for the hosts.

‎After posting 141 for six in 30 overs, Wesley did well to restrict Richmond to 109 for eight in 23 overs to stay ahead according to DLS method at Weeraketiya.

‎Adhyaan Zain and Senura Lakshan bowled controlled spells taking three wickets each to seal the semi-final place. Wesley are set to meet Nalanda in the semis. (RF)

Sports

Heshara, Shashen, Dilini among top performers

Published

9 hours ago

2026/10/21

Sahan Weerasooriya

by Reemus Fernando

Heshara Jayasinghe, Shashen Rajapaksha and Dilini Rajapaksha were among the athletes who excelled creating meet records during the morning session of the final day of the All Island Schools Games Athletics Championship at Diyagama on Tuesday.

‎Shashen Ravihansa Rajapaksha of Ratnayake Central Walala set the tone on the track, clocking an impressive 8:58.50 to win the Under 18 boys’ 3000 metres. The time established a new meet record and made the school’s presence felt to a great extent. Many Ratnayake Central athletes had fallen ill recently denying them their usual top positions in the overall points table.

Dilini Rajapaksha in action in the Under 18 girls’ triple jump (L) / K.K. Baalasooriya of Sumana Balika Vidyalaya Ratnapura in action in the Under 20 girls’ discuss throw (R)

‎In field events, Heshara Jayasinghe of St. Joseph Vaz’s College Wennappuwa produced a landmark performance in the Under 20 boys’ shot put. His effort of 17.30 metres made him the first athlete in the event’s history to clear the 17 metre mark, and it also broke the meet record previously held by Jayavi Ranhinda Alwis.

‎Abhimani Kodituwakku of Dharmapala College Pannipitiya delivered a remarkable run in the Under 20 girls’ 400 metres hurdles. Her time of 1:01.57 erased the nine-year-old record held by Yamani Dulanjali of Ambagamuwa Central.

‎K.K. Baalasooriya of Sumana Balika Vidyalaya Ratnapura joined the record-breakers with a throw of 41.82 metres in the Under 20 girls’ discus throw.

‎Lyceum International Wattala’s Dilini Rajapaksha then created a new meet record in the Under 18 girls’ triple jump, clearing 12.73 metres.

Shashen Ravihansa Rajapaksha of Ratnayake Central Walala
won the Under 18 boys’ 3000 metres with a new record mark. (L) / Gimhani Pulle of St. Andrew’s MV won the Under 18 girls’ 3,000 metres. (R)