Shashintha, Jithma keep country’s premier track event interested

by Reemus Fernando

The men’s and women’s 400 metres have been Sri Lanka’s most productive medal winning discipline at regional track and field championships during the last few decades. Sri Lanka’s schools structure has been providing a steady supply of talented sprinters to national level to improve the profile of this discipline. This year, sprinters Shashintha Silva and Jithma Wijetunga have been the fastest in the junior boys’ and girls’ categories respectively and are showing great promise.

The St. Sebastian’s College, Kandana sprinter Shashintha produced a remarkable feat at the Sir John Tarbat Senior Athletics Championship at the Sugathadasa Stadium last week. Shashintha, who also won the silver medal at the South Asian Junior Athletics Championship in September clocked a stunning 47.10 seconds feat to win the Under 18 boys’ 400 metres at the Sir John Tarbat Senior Athletics Championship. It is a new National Youth record as he produced his personal best. His feat is faster than those competing in the Under 20 age category this year.

In the girls’ category, Wijetunga clocked 54.94 seconds to win the Under 20 400 metres. Incidentally, she was faster at the Sugathadasa Stadium than at the South Asian Junior Championships in India last month where she finished outside the podium. She turned tables on SAJAC bronze medallist Takshima Nuhasna to win here.

Such performances are crucial for Sri Lanka if it is to continue the medal winning form at Asian circuit.

However many promising sprinters have gone out of the radar after performing exceptionally well at junior level. It is incumbent upon authorities to keep these athletes interested in track and field events after leaving school if the country is to win medals at international level.