Umanga confident Medhani would reach personal best in Nairobi

by Reemus Fernando

South Asian Games medallist Umanga Surendra said that despite setbacks suffered due to the Covid 19 pandemic his charge Medhani Jayamanne will attempt to reach her personal best when she competes at the World Junior Championships in Nairobi next week.

“I am confident that she would come up with her best in Kenya,” said Umanga of Jayamanne in an interview with The Island.

The Lumbini College athlete will compete in both the girls’ 100 metres and the 200 metres.

Medhani has an impressive build-up to the World Junior event as she has improved her timing at every competition this year under the guidance of the former national champion.

She had a time of 12.39 seconds in the 100 metres in December last year and commenced this season with a 7.75 secs in the 60 metres in March. Then she gradually improved her timing to 12.15 and sub 12 seconds at the National Athletics Trials in April. She reached qualifying standards for the World Junior 100 metres at the Selection Trial held in July as she stopped the clock at 11.85 seconds.

Jayamanne, who has drawn comparisons to her famous aunt Susanthika Jayasinghe when sprinting at the national level, had her best moment in 200 metres at the Interstate Championship in Patiala, India in June. She clocked 24.08 seconds to qualify for the World event and also won silver.

In Patiala, she was also involved in a medal-winning feat in the women’s 4×100 metres relay where the team clocked 44.55 seconds, the fastest time by a Sri Lankan team in 20 years.

Jayamanne is one of the four athletes to have reached qualifying standards for the world event. Ananda Sastralaya, Matugama sprinter Isuru Kaushalya (400 metres), Holy Cross College, Gampaha runner Shanika Lakshani (800m) and Ratnayake Central runner Tharushi Karunaratne (800m) are the other three. They are joined by that Holy Cross College, Gampaha sprinter Lakshima Mendis and Wekada MV, Chilaw athlete Dilshan Bandara to form a part of the 4×400 metres mixed relay team.

The athletes are scheduled to leave for Nairobi on Sunday.