Sports
Yupun enters World Championship qualifying fray with a superb start
by Reemus Fernando
National record holder of the men’s 100 metres Yupun Abeykoon produced a superb sprint performance to commence his season proper at the World Athletics Continental Tour Challenger meeting at Savona’s Fontanassa Sports Centre on Wednesday.
In a race where Marcell Jacobs also made his first 100m appearance since his Tokyo Olympic triumph, Abeykoon clocked 10.16 seconds to finish fourth. That was after the sprinter clocked a wind assisted 10.04 seconds in the heats.
His 10.04 seconds performance is the fastest sprint a Sri Lankan has run according to Sri Lanka Athletics statistician Saman Kumara Gunawardana.
In 2019 former record holder Himasha Eshan, who is currently serving a suspension, had a 10.11 seconds feat to a tailwind measured at +3.1.
With his superb season open performance, Abeykoon has entered the race to earn qualification for the World Championships which will be held in Oregon in July. The Italy based sprinter enters the fray at the 56th position in the ‘Road to Oregon 2022’ rankings.
The athletics’ showcase discipline will have 48 slots for the World Championships. While 26 spots will be filled by athletes who reach the tough qualifying standard of 10.05 seconds, the other positions will be filled according to ranking positions in the ‘Road to Oregon 2022’ list.
With the qualifying period closing on June 26th Abeykoon who also set a new Asian record in the 150 metres recently, will have just over a month to achieve the rare honour.
Currently, javelin thrower Sumedha Ranasinghe (25th) and high jumper Ushan Thiwanka are the only Sri Lankan male athletes to have secured a top position in the Road to Oregon 2022 Rankings. The US-based high jumper has come closer to accomplishing the target with back to back 2.20 metres feats. Thiwanka is currently ranked 30th on the list of high jumpers. Both athletes need to remain within the top 32 positions until June 26th to qualify for the event.
In the women’s category, steeplechaser Nilani Ratnayake is the only Sri Lankan athlete to be ranked within the top 30 places.
At the World Athletics Continental Tour Challenger meeting on Wednesday where Abeykoon finished fourth, Marcell Jacobs made a victorious return winning the final in 10.04 seconds after a wind-assisted 9.99 (2.3m/s) in the heats.
Ivory Coast sprinter Arthur Cisse finished second in 10.10 seconds beating former European record-holder Jimmy Vicaut (10.12).
Viran Chamuditha’s 94-ball 110 helped Sri Lanka Under 19 chase 262 and keep their hopes of qualifying for the semi-finals of the Men’s Under-19 World Cup 2026 alive. Sri Lanka will now have to hope Afghanistan lose to Ireland; otherwise, Afghanistan will go through. South Africa on the other hand, have lost all four of their games and are placed fifth in the six-team group.
The day began well for South Africa Under-19, who won the toss, chose to bat and added 96 for the first wicket. Once Vigneshwaran Akash got Adnaan Lagadien, Jorich Van Schalkwyk – the other opener – had to do the bulk of the scoring, with regular wickets falling at the other end.
Akash finished with a four-for and Kavija Gamage got two. There was a missed chance off Van Schalkwyk in the 21st over off Gamage, when he was on 50.
Van Schalkwyk made Sri Lanka pay with a 130-ball 116, featuring 13 fours and two sixes. After he fell, Paul James (37* off 36) and Michael Kruiskamp (21* off 15) gave South Africa a good finish, with an unbeaten 40-run stand off 31 balls.
Sri Lanka’s chase started shakily as Dimantha Mahavithana fell cheaply to Kruiskamp. Chamuditha then began a match-defining 143-run stand off 130 balls with Senuja Wekunagoda. Chamuditha contributed 85 of those run, and brought up his century during his stand with captain Vimath Dinsara, who chipped in with 32 off 38 balls.
Chamuditha finished with 13 boundaries and a six. After he fell, there were two handy partnerships of 31 and an unbeaten 28 between Chamika Heenatigala and Dulnith Sigera, which took Sri Lanka home with four overs to spare.
Brief scores:
Sri Lanka Under 19s 265 for 5 in 46 overs (Viran Chamuditha 110, Senuja Wekunagoda 48, Vimath Dinsara 32; M8chael Kruiskamp 2-59, Come Botha 2-37) beat South Africa Under 19s 261 for 7 in 50 overs (Jorich Van Schalkwyk 116, Adnaan Lagadien 46, Paul James 37* ; Vigneshwaran Akash 4-64, Kavija Gamage 2-61) by five wickets
Akash Vigneswaran celebrates a wicket with his team-mates, South Africa vs Sri Lanka, Under-19 World Cup, Bulawayo, January 29, 2026 (Cricinfo)
(Cricinfo)
Pavan Rathnayake has re-entered Sri Lanka’s T20I squad following his 121 off 115 balls in the third ODI against England. Omitted from the squad to play England in three T20Is, however, are fast bowler Nuwan Thushara and batting allrounder Kamindu Mendis. Legspinner Dushan Hemantha has also been left out.
Left-arm-spinning allrounder Dunith Wellalage retains his place in the T20I squad, though he hasn’t played a T20I since September. Maheesh Theekshana and Wanindu Hasaranga are the two other frontline spinners. Dhananjaya de Silva and Charith Asalanka – who both bowl fingerspin – are in the squad too.
On the seam-bowling front, Eshan Malinga and Pramod Madushan are in the squad, in addition to Dushmantha Chameera and Matheesha Pathirana. Thushara had been a consistent presence in Sri Lanka’s T20I squads over the past two years, but his omission comes after several modest performances since September.
Aside from Rathnayake’s inclusion, the batting is largely as expected, with Kusal Perera coming back in the only format he now plays.
Sri Lanka are yet to announce their squad for the T20 World Cup, which will start on February 7. Teams have time till January 31 to make changes to squads, following which they will have to get the approvals from the ICC to make changes.
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Dasun Shanaka (capt.), Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara, Kusal Mendis, Kusal Perera, Dhananjaya de Silva, Charith Asalanka, Janith Liyanage, Pavan Rathnayake, Dunith Wellalage, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushmantha Chameera, Pramod Madushan, Matheesha Pathirana, Eshan Malinga
Australia Under 19s 314/7 in 50 overs (Oliver Peake 109, Nitesh Samuel 56; Jakeem Pollard 2-37, R’Jai Gittens 2-45) beat West Indies Under 19s 292/9 in 50 overs (Zachary Carter 64, Joshua Dorne 62; Charles Lachmund 4-66, Aryan Sharma 2-47) by 22 runs
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