Sports

Feats of Sarangi and Gayanthika among top performances in Asia

Published

5 years ago

2021/11/11

by Reemus Fernando

The impressive national records established at the 99th National Athletics Championships were a welcome sign for track and field sport as it looks forward to overcoming the Covid 19 related setbacks ahead of a crucial and historical year. However, of the remarkable achievements recorded at the second and final leg of the championships, only two performances stand tall enough to match top Asian standards.

Sri Lanka’s athletics fraternity had to wait for 24 long years to see someone breaking the 14 seconds barrier in the men’s 110 metres hurdles untill Roshan Dhammika Ranatunga smashed the national record on his way to winning the title. First, the Army athlete took three milliseconds off the record (14.00 seconds) held by Olympian Mahesh Perera in the heats before improving it to 13.89 seconds in the final. It was a huge performance by Sri Lankan standards but during the 24 years the previous record had stagnated at 14 seconds the discipline had improved steadily in Asia. While the event’s global powerhouse, the US had witnessed its athletes breaking the 13 seconds barrier in the early 1980s, Asia saw a stunning performer emerge early in the millennium in China’s Xiang Liu who’s 12.88 seconds feat in 2006 (current Asian record) is ranked fourth in the all-time best performance list in the world. Though Asia has not seen such a fast performance in nearly one and a half decade, some two dozen athletes in Asia clock sub 14 seconds in the 110 metres hurdles every year. Roshan Dhammika’s performance is the joint 43rd fastest time in Asia this year according to the latest stats published by World Athletics.

Mahesh Perera had a sub 14.00 seconds wind-assisted feat in 1997 but was yet to touch that speed when he found a place in the team for the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. Though Roshan Dhammika has now smashed Perera’s national record and even bettered Chaminda Fonseka’s wind-assisted feat of 13.91 seconds, he would find his record-breaking performance agonizingly inadequate even to be selected for next year’s Asian Games. Sri Lanka Athletics has suggested 13.48 seconds as the qualifying standard for the 2022 Asian Games and Roshan Dhammika has a few more months to accomplish the target.

Gayanthika Abeyratne probably produced the most stunning performances of her career lowering two national records within two days. Both feats were remarkable as she slashed good chunks from the previous national records in 1,500 metres and the 5,000 metres. A veteran in the 800 metres with several regional medals to her credit in that discipline, Abeyratne clocked 4:09.12 seconds to take some six seconds off Nimali Liyanarachchi’s 2019 records (4:15.86 secs). That is the fourth-fastest time by an Asian this year behind Japan’s Nozomi Tanaka, India’s Harmilan Bains and Japan’s Ran Urabe. With that stunning feat, she has certainly proved that she would be a deserving candidate for an Asian Games slot. Her record-breaking feat of 4:09.12 seconds is equivalent to the silver medal-winning feat of Ethiopian born Bahraini athlete Tigist Gashaw at the last Asian Games.

Abeyratne’s 15:55.84 seconds performance in the 5,000 metres was also remarkable by Sri Lankan standards as no other female athlete had run the distance below 16 minutes. US-based Hiruni Wijeratne and the women’s 3,000 metres steeplechase national record holder Nilani Ratnayake had clocked 16 minutes and 17 seconds in 5,000 metres in August 2019 but no one has come close to breaking that record since then. But in Asia, some 80 athletes have clocked faster performances this year. Abeyratne’s new record mark will place her 82nd in a list dominated by Japanese distance runners.

Sarangi Silva’s long jump feat of 6.48 metres has placed her joint sixth in the list of Asian long jumpers this year. She is in prime form after bagging the national record of NCD Priyadharshani in June this year. With the new national mark, the South Asian Games medallist has come closer to the standard required to be in the team for the next Asian Games. The notable record will further boost her appetite for success in the Asian region. But for an Asian Games medal, she has to improve her record further. This year’s top Asian performance is 6.85 metres by Uzbekistan’s Darya Reznichenko. Sarangi will also have India’s B. Aishwarya (who has a feat of 6.52 metres this year) and three others who have done better than her best feat this year to compete against.

The other national record to fall during the two-day event was the women’s pole vault mark. Sachini Perera improved on her previous national record with a feat of 3.57 metres. Pole vault is a discipline in which Sri Lanka is still struggling to make an impact in the Asian region. Perera’s national record mark cannot even occupy the 100th position in the Asian region’s best performances this year. Yet her feat will augur well for the struggling discipline and will give impetus for her few rivals.

Though there were only two performances from the second leg of the National Championship which could rank among the top ten feats in Asia this year the five national records were a huge accomplishment for the competition starved sport. It should also be noted that the events held at the second leg were not among Sri Lanka Athletics’ top priority events. The governing body conducted the first leg before the Olympic qualifying period expired to help athletes who were on the border of Olympic qualifying standards.

Sri Lanka Athletics will conduct the 100th National Athletics Championships in a few months (April 2022) and that event will be the final selection opportunity for a number of international events that take place during the centenary year. Some of the athletes who excelled at the concluded second leg of the 99th National Championship are destined for greater glory at next years event.

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INS Udaygiri makes port call in Colombo

Published

2 hours ago

2026/09/8

Priyan

The Indian Naval Ship (INS) Udaygiri arrived at the Port of Colombo on an official visit today, 8 September 2026, where it was received by the Sri Lanka Navy in accordance with time-
honoured naval traditions.

INS Udaygiri is a 149.02m long Frigate, Commanded by Captain Vikas Sood. Meanwhile, the Commanding Officer of the visiting ship is scheduled to call on Commander Western Naval
Area, Rear Admiral Harsha De Silva at the Western Naval Command Headquarters.

Captain Sood served as the Defence Adviser at the Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka from July 2020 to October 2023.
During their stay in the island, the crew of INS Udaygiri will participate in several goodwill events organized by the Sri Lanka Navy to enhance camaraderie between the two forces.

The visiting personnel are also scheduled to visit prominent tourist and cultural locations across the island.

Additionally, Sri Lanka Navy personnel are expected to visit the ship for capability observation and knowledge sharing, and will conduct onboard training during its stay.

Sports

Calm Harshitha takes Sri Lanka to Asia Cup semis

Published

10 hours ago

2026/09/8

Sahan Weerasooriya

Vice-captain Harshitha Samarawickrama’s match winning knock helped Sri Lanka overcome Bangladesh and book their place in the Asia Cup semi-finals in Dubai.

Sri Lanka’s women continue to provide compelling evidence that they could be genuine contenders for the next World Cup, while their male counterparts have, in recent years, largely been making up the numbers at global events.

The defending Asia Cup champions, who stunned formidable India in Dambulla two years ago to lift the title, marched into this year’s semi-finals with an unbeaten record.

Sri Lanka topped their group with three wins from three games and importantly, will avoid India in the semi-finals. Their opponents in Friday’s knockout clash will be either Pakistan or Thailand.

For years, Sri Lanka have leaned heavily on their talismanic captain Chamari Athapaththu, one of the greats of the women’s game. More recently, however, others have begun putting their hands up when the skipper has fallen cheaply. That growing depth has also given Chamari greater freedom to play her natural, attacking game.

Last week, Nilakshika de Silva produced a rescue act against Indonesia. On Sunday, after the captain fell to only her second ball, it was the turn of vice-captain Harshitha Samarawickrama to take charge and steer Sri Lanka home through choppy waters.

Chasing 115 to win their final group game against Bangladesh at Dubai Sports City, Sri Lanka were quickly in trouble as seamer Marufa Akter sent both openers packing cheaply. With wickets continuing to tumble at the other end, Harshitha kept her head while others were losing theirs.

At 44 for five, with half the side back in the pavilion, Sri Lanka were staring down the barrel. Harshitha and Nilakshika then began the repair job, adding 38 for the sixth wicket to drag the innings back from the brink.

Marufa has been an outstanding find for Bangladesh and they rely heavily on her for breakthroughs. With one over remaining in her quota, she was summoned back to break the partnership and did precisely that, removing a well set Nilakshika as she attempted to improvise.

There was, however, no stopping Harshitha.

She found a reliable ally in wicketkeeper Kaushini Nuthyangana and the pair calmly took Sri Lanka across the line with an unbroken 33 run stand for the seventh wicket. Harshitha finished unbeaten on 38 off 47 balls, striking four fours and two sixes.

Sri Lanka got home with four balls to spare, maintaining their perfect record in the competition. Yet beneath the celebrations there will be a nagging concern: the batting has collapsed too often, leaving one or two players with far too much heavy lifting to do. That is something they will need to address before the stakes rise further.

Sri Lanka will play the second semi-final on Friday, with the final scheduled for Sunday.

Sports

Sonal Dinusha and the epic draw

Published

10 hours ago

2026/09/8

Sahan Weerasooriya

The just-concluded two Test series against strong Indian side has restored Sri Lanka’s pride and confidence, thanks largely to a remarkable display of fighting spirit. At the centre of this remarkable story is Sonal Dinusha, whose extraordinary batting performance turned what appeared to be certain defeat into an epic draw.

Sonal made headlines by scoring three centuries and a big half-century across the two Tests. In doing so, he joined an elite group of Sri Lankan batsmen who have scored three centuries in a two Test series, including Aravinda de Silva, Kumar Sangakkara and Kamindu Mendis.

There is an even more remarkable dimension to Sonal’s achievement. By scoring a century in both innings of a Test match, he joined another distinguished group of Sri Lankan batsmen who have accomplished this rare feat.

Yet, as with every great sporting story, there are several fascinating sub stories within the main story.

One of those sub stories is the emergence of Pasindu Sooryabandara, who became Sri Lanka’s first Test concussion substitute when he replaced Dinesh Chandimal in the first Test in Galle.

The concussion substitute rule is one of the significant innovations introduced by the ICC. It allows a player to replace a teammate who suffers a concussion or other head injury during a match, subject to the relevant medical assessment and the approval of the match referee. The substitute can then participate fully in the match, within the conditions governing concussion replacements.

Pasindu’s own concussion substitute story initially appeared far less glamorous. His first innings ended with the disappointment of a first ball golden duck. But that setback did not end his story.

Instead, the Sri Lankan selectors and team management showed faith in the young batsman by retaining him for the second Test at the Sinhalese Sports Club. That confidence was richly rewarded. Pasindu responded with a composed 80 in the first innings and a superb 92 in the second, providing the crucial foundation for Sri Lanka’s extraordinary resistance.

His batting displayed the qualities expected of a Test top order batsman: solid defence, controlled aggression, patience and above all, temperament. His First Class performances had been repeatedly knocking on the selectors’ door. This time, the door opened and Pasindu walked through it.

But the story does not end with Sonal and Pasindu.

The resilience of the Sri Lankan fast bowlers, led by Asitha Fernando, was another important chapter. Their persistence and discipline kept Sri Lanka in the contest when the match appeared to be slipping away.

The Sri Lankan batsmen then produced the kind of courageous resistance that Test cricket demands. Instead of surrendering to the pressure, they fought session by session, partnership by partnership, and run by run. Their collective determination transformed an apparently inevitable defeat into a memorable draw.

That fighting spirit may ultimately prove to be the most valuable outcome of the series.

Sonal Dinusha may rightly occupy the centre of the stage. His three centuries, his remarkable consistency and his role in rescuing Sri Lanka from the brink of defeat have made him the headline maker. Pasindu Sooryabandara, meanwhile, has shown what can happen when talent meets opportunity and confidence.

But behind these individual performances lies something even more encouraging: Sri Lanka have rediscovered the belief that they can compete, fight and survive against strong opposition even when the circumstances appear overwhelmingly against them.

That renewed belief could be extremely important as Sri Lanka face challenging Test assignments against New Zealand and Pakistan in the ongoing World Test Championship cycle.

For the newly appointed coach, this remarkable comeback must have brought a huge sigh of relief. More importantly, it provides evidence that this Sri Lankan Test side possesses the character and resilience required to compete with any opposition, in any conditions.

The epic draw was therefore more than just a result on the scoreboard. It was a statement of character.

Sonal Dinusha wrote the headline. Pasindu Sooryabandara provided one of the most inspiring subplots. The bowlers refused to surrender. And the entire Sri Lankan team reminded everyone of the fighting spirit that has long been associated with Sri Lankan cricket.

Ayampillai Dharmakulasingham

Retired Sri Lankan diplomat