Sports

Gayanthika, Sarangi, Sachini, Dhammika shatter national records

Published

1 year ago

2021/11/1

Sahan Weerasooriya

Roshan Dhammika erased Olympian Mahesh Perera’s long standing hurdles national record

99th National Athletics Championships

by Reemus Fernando

Veteran distance runner Gayanthika Abeyratne became the first Sri Lankan female athlete to break the 16 minutes barer in the 5,000 metres, Sarangi Silva continued her record breaking spree in the long jump, while Roshan Dhammika shattered Mahesh Perera’s long standing hurdles record in a remarkable second leg of the 99th National Athletics Championship concluded at the Sugathadasa Stadium on Sunday.

The Sri Lanka Navy’s Abeyratne was in a league of her own from the time the women’s 5,000 metres commenced in the morning yesterday. After having shattered the women’s 1,500 metres record on Saturday, Abeyratne was determined to clinch the second title yesterday and had at least a one lap lead over the field when she closed the line in 15:55.84 seconds. She broke US based distance runner Hiruni Wijayaratne’s 2020 record of 16:17.51 seconds. When she shattered Nimali Liyanarachchi’s 1,500 metres record on Saturday she did it with a feat of 4:09.12 seconds.

The intense contest between Sarangi Silva and Anjani Pulwansa has made women’s long jump a much looked forward to discipline. Yesterday Sarangi improved on her own national record clearing a distance of 6.48 metres to win the gold. Pulwansa cleared the six metres mark in her first three attempts of which the third attempt of 6.15 metres was her best. Sarangi made four successful jumps and all were measured over six metres. This healthy competition is going to augur well for the sport.

Dhammika shatters Olympian Perera’s record

Roshan Dhammika was not even born when Olympian Mahesh Perera established the 110 metres hurdles national record in 1997. On Saturday the, 23-year-old Dhammika improved on the national record twice as he became the first hurdler to break the 14 seconds barrier. The athlete trained by Thiron Gamage clocked 13.97 seconds in the heats to take the record under his name. Later in the final he returned a time of 13.89 seconds to further improve on that.

In field events Sri Lanka army’s Sachini Perera improved her own women’s pole vault record with a feat of 3.57 metres. Her previous record was 3.56 metres.

Meanwhile, W.S.M. Fernando of Sri Lanka Army broke Charith Kapukotuwa’s meet record with a throw of 17.36 metres in the men’s shot put.

The meet also witnessed an impressive sprint finish by Aruna Dharshana on Saturday. Dharshana returned a time of 20.91 seconds to turn tables on Kalinga Kumarage and win the men’s 200 metres.

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Sports

Lahiru takes five wickets as Joes take lead

Published

1 hour ago

2023/03/28

Sahan Weerasooriya

Lahiru Amarasekara

Under 19 Cricket

Off-spinner Lahiru Amarasekara produced a five-wicket haul as St. Joseph’s restricted Mahinda to 127 runs on day one of the Under 19 traditional cricket encounter at Galle on Monday.

Amarasekara was ably supported by spinner Yenula Dewthusa and Muditha Dissanayake who shared the other five wickets.

With wickets falling at regular intervals, batting opener Ranmina Hettiarachchi anchored the top order with a knock of 33 runs. Chandupa de Silva with 29 runs, Tharusha Dilshan (15) and Hiruna Gallalge (17) were the only other batsmen to reach double figures.

In their essay St. Joseph’s were comfortably placed at 132 for two wickets but back-to-back wickets in the last two overs placed them at 132 for four wickets at stumps.

At Welisara, Dinuka Tennakoon took five wickets but Maris Stella managed to post 268 runs as Shean Adithya top-scored with 83 runs. In reply Trinity were nine without loss.

Vihanga Nimsara and Rasindu Ilukshana were the heroes for Moratu Vidyalaya as their half-centuries helped them score 249 runs against St. Sylvester’s at Boyagane.

Match Details

At Galle: Mahinda 127, St. Joseph’s 132/4

Scores:

Mahinda

127 all out in 57 overs (Ranmina Hettiarachchi 33, Chandupa de Silva 29; Lahiru Amarasekara 5/34, Muditha Dissanayaka 2/23, Yenula Dewtusa 3/32)

St. Joseph’s

132 for 4 in 42.1 overs (Sadeesh Jayawardena 53, Naren Muralidaran 41; Shehan Hasaranga 2/39)

At Welisara: Maris Stella 268, Trinity 9/0

Scores:

Maris Stella

268 all out in 93.5 overs (Kaveen Fernando 26, Shean Adithya 83, Anshen de Silva 28, Ramith Bandara 33, Nethum Basnayake 26, Levin Fernando 22; Jayavi Liyanagama 2/40, Dinuka Tennakoon 5/74)

Trinity 9 for no loss in 4 overs

At Boyagane: Moratu Vidyalaya 249, St. Sylvester’s 5/1

Scores:

Moratu Vidyalaya

249 all out in 93.1 overs (Vihanga Nimsara 82, Rasindu Ilukshana 54; Isuru Gunasekara 2/28, Pansilu Bandara 2/50, Akila Wickramasinghe 3/48, Khanka Wickramasinghe 2/31)

St. Sylvester’s

5 for 1 in 4 overs.

Sports

Sowmiya clinches a triple crown, Silvijan bags a double

Published

1 hour ago

2023/03/28

Sahan Weerasooriya

Winners posing with their awards.

Northern Badminton Championship 2023

T. Silvijan Dalima was crowned men’s singles champion while S. Sowmiya clinched a triple crown at the Northern Badminton Championship 2023 in Kilinochchi during the weekend.

At the Provincial Indoor Stadium in Kilinochchi, Silvijan met K Thusan in the final clash in which the latter retired in the second set with scores reading 21-14, 16-11 in favour of the champion. L Hentry and K Kajan were the losing semi-finalists.

Meanwhile, S. Sowmiya won all three of her open events, the women’s singles, doubles and mixed doubles with respective partners.

Sowmiya clinched the women’s singles crown with a 21-15, 21-13 win over R. Ragavi in the final following her doubles title win with B. Oliviya. Sowmiya and Oliviya overcame Athmika and M. Kavinaya 21-9, 21-15 to seal the women’s doubles crown.

Earlier, Sowmiya and Silvijan, the best singles duo in the tournament, also won the mixed doubles title by defeating R. Sulacsan and S . Thanojana 21-12, 21-16 in the final.

The men’s doubles final was won by L. R. Reminsan and T. Thusyanthan who beat G. Thanukanth and R. Yuthakaran with a 21-13, 21-9 score line.

The tournament, organised by the Northern Province Badminton Association, was conducted under the guidance of Sri Lanka Badminton (SLB). SLB President Rohan de Silva and a host of top officials were among the special guests at the presentation ceremony.

Sports

St. Peter’s Tennis teams up with Yeti

Published

1 hour ago

2023/03/28

Sahan Weerasooriya

(From left): Manesh Kajan (U-17 Captain), K. D. Y. Pathiraja (Coach), Rev. Fr. Rohitha Rodrigo (Rector, St. Peter’s), Dilshan Balasuriya (Director, Yeti) and Malik Perera (CEO, Yeti). (Pic by Kamal Wanniarachchi)

St. Peter’s College, Bambalapitiya teamed up with isotonic sports drink manufacturer Yeti, who will meet the hydration needs of the school tennis team during their upcoming Inter-School tournaments.

Yeti will provide the St. Peter’s Tennis Team with isotonic sports drinks to meet their hydration needs and as part of the partnership, the players will also have access to the elite Yeti portfolio of sports isotonic products.

This year, St. Peter’s will have a busy schedule as they are set to participate in several age group championships including the Inter-Schools Tennis Tournament, Inter-Schools Nationals and the Arjan Perera Tennis Tournament.

The Peterites had mixed fortunes last year as they emerged overall runners-up in the Inter-Schools Tournament and their Under-17 and Under-19 Teams reached the semi-finals of the Inter-Schools National Championships.

This time the Peterites are hoping for an improved performance with five coloursmen in the Under-20 side and four coloursmen in the Under-17 team.

Yeti isotonic fluid has been specially formulated to provide superior rehydration and provide the body the necessary water, minerals and energy lost during exercise.