Ushan, Shanaka create new national records to win golds

Ushan Widanapathiranage and Shanaka Peters established national records in their respective weight classes as they won gold medals on the final day of the Singapore Weightlifting International in the Toa Payoh Sports Hall in Singapore on Sunday.

Widanapathiranage lifted a national record total of 330kgs (snatch 150kgs) in the over 109kgs weight class as he secured his place in the team for the Birmingham Commonwealth Games.

In the 109 weight class, Peters established two records (snatch 134kgs, total 302kgs) as he won the gold. However, he will have anxious few days ahead as he has to wait till the end of the competition in the Oceania region to know whether he will be eligible to compete at the Commonwealth Games.

The three-day competition saw Sri Lanka winning five gold medals, two silver medals and a bronze.

On Saturday Chathuranga Lakmal won gold in the 67kgs weight class, while Indika Dissanayake turned tables on compatriot Sudesh Peiris to win gold in the 73kgs class.

On Friday, Srimali Samarakoon turned tables on Commonwealth Games medallist Hansani Gomez to win gold, lifting a total weight of 151 kgs (Snatch 65kgs, Clean 85kgs) in the 49kgs weight class. Gomez had to settle for silver. Dilanka Isuru Kumara (men’s 55kgs weight class settled for a bronze by lifting a total weight of 238 kgs.