Sports
Harsha returns with personal best
Lack of competition leaves Olympic hopefuls lagging behind standards
by Reemus Fernando
Youth Asian Championship medallist Harsha Karunaratne made a remarkable return to competition to continue the family trend and his school’s tradition as he won the men’s 800 metres at the Stage One of the Sri Lanka Army Athletics Championship at the Sugathadasa Stadium on Tuesday.
Former Ratnayake Central, Walala athlete, who won the Youth Asian Championship silver in 2017, was out of competition for more than two years due to a health condition, for which he needed surgery. Harsha, who inspired his younger sister also to produce record breaking feats at junior level, turned tables on Asian Championship participant Rusiru Chathuranga during the last 80 metres at yesterday’s event.
In winning the 800 metres title, the athlete trained by Susantha Fernando clocked 1:51.06 seconds, his personal best.
It was a joyous moment not only for Sri Lanka Army Service Corps, his regiment, but also for the athletics strong hold of Walala, who have established their dominance in this discipline in Sri Lanka.
While the discipline’s men’s and women’s national records are held by former Ratnayake Central athletes, namely Dilshi Kumarasinghe (women’s) and Indunil Herath, Sri Lanka Junior records are also written against names of former Ratnayake Central athletes.
Like the National Athletics Championship, the Sri Lanka Army Athletics Championship too is conducted in stages due to the Covid 19 pandemic.
Yesterday’s stage one witnessed just two meet records being established and some of the Olympic aspirants struggling to improve their seasonal best performances.
Sprinter Himasha Eshan broke the meet record with a feat of 10.34 seconds in the men’s 100 metres. Chamod Yodasinghe finished second in a time of10.73 seconds. National champion Amasha de Silva lived up to her reputation clocking 11.93 seconds to win the women’s 100 metres dash.
The other meet record was established by W.S.M. Fernando who threw the put to a distance of 16.89 metres.
In a strange move national champion Kalinga Kumarage did not feature in the men’s 400 metres final despite winning his heat in a time of 46.59 seconds. Aruna Dharshana won the final in a time of 47.05 seconds.
In the corresponding women’s event Nadeesha Ramanayake was hampered by lack of competition. Ramanayake who is ranked 56th in the Road to Olympics rankings returned a time of 54.48 seconds. Kaushalya Madushani was placed second with a time of 58.11 seconds.
Rio Olympic participant Sumeda Ranasinghe cleared 73.57 metres which is well behind the tough qualifying standard but that could help him retain his ranking.
Dilhani Lekamge’s winning throw of 56.94 metres in the women’s javelin was nearly three metres further than that of the second placed Olympian Nadeeka Lakmali’s best throw.
Steeplechase athlete Nilani Ratnayake, who is the only Sri Lankan track and field athlete so far to be within the required ranking position (as of yesterday) to earn Tokyo Olympic qualification, won her event in a time of 10:05.02 seconds.
In the men’s long jump Janaka Prasad Wimalasiri cleared a distance of 7.94 metres.
(Cricbuzz)
By A Special Sports Correspondent
All eyes will be on new entrants to rugby ‘Sri Lions Sports Club’ when they debut in the 2024/25 Inter-club league rugby tournament in Kandy on Sunday (December 15). Sri Lions are slated to take on last season’s league tournament runners-up Kandy Sports Club at the Nittawela grounds. Despite Sri Lions SC being new to domestic rugby, a thriller is expected; as the team is packed with players who are well drilled at training and the other reason being all players possess an IRB Level 1 qualification.
Sri Lions SC’s entry into division 1 rugby was not smooth. Many clubs opposed their promotion to the top league in the domestic tournament. Rugby sources told ‘The Island’ that despite the opposition shown by some clubs, Sri Lanka Rugby and other prominent sports authorities in Sri Lanka had to grant the new entrants their due place in the top league. This was largely because Sri Lions SC had made progress through the proper channel by winning the B Division rugby tournament last season.
Dr. Kelum Sujith Perera, the founder chairman of Sri Lions SC, was quoted in the newspapers saying that the club’s priority was centred around professionalism and transparency and that the club was committed to contributing to rugby development in Sri Lanka.
The club boasts of having in their line up comprising 12 former national players and a horde of talented ex-schoolboy players who have recently finished their academic commitments on a high.
The other matches scheduled for the first week of club rugby are: Sri Lanka Air Force Sports Club vs CH&FC at Ratmalana (December 13), Army Sports Club vs Police Sports Club at Panagoda, Navy Sport Club vs Havelocks SC at Welisara (Both matches on December 14).
CR&FC will be one of the teams to watch this season given that they are the reigning league rugby champions. The side is led by Gemunu Chethiya. The club upgrading their stadium to have floodlight facilities should elevate player thinking to another level. The other club to offer floodlight facilities for domestic rugby matches is Havelocks SC. However CR will not have a match in the opening week of the tournament.
Last season’s league runners-up Kandy SC are led this season by seasoned scrum half Srinath Sooriyabandara who counts years of experience playing in domestic and overseas tournaments. The side is coached by Fazil Marija. Kandy SC’s dominance in domestic rugby was broken last season and much is expected of the side from Nittawela, which is going through a team building phase at present.
CH&FC is a dangerous side to play against when the team members are gelled and focused. Last season the side finished fourth. This season the Gymkhana Club is led by Janidu Dilshan.
Havelocks SC led by Abdullah Faiz is set to finish on a high this season. The Park Club finished third in the league rugby tournament last season. Police SC, which had to be satisfied winning the ‘Plate Championship’ in the league tournament last season, will be another strong contender vying for honours . The side is led for the second consecutive year by third row forward Mohan Wimalaratne.
The other sides in the tournament are Army SC, Air Force Sports Club and Navy Sport Club.
The tournament is conducted by Sri Lanka Rugby, the governing body for the sport in the island. Rugby sources reveal that an SGM has been called on December 20 for clubs to attend with the motive of announcing the date for the much looked forward to Annual General Meeting of SLR. According to International Rugby regulations, SLR has to have it’s AGM before January 31 next year.
SLTA Hard Court Nationals
Revaan Amarasinghe and Shennon Senadheera reached the Under 12 boys singles final as they edged out their semi-final opponents at the Sri Lanka Tennis Association Hard Court Tennis Nationals at the SLTA courts on Thursday.
Amarasinghe of S.Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia beat Nuren Wevita 6-1, 6-1 in his semi-final.
In the other semi-final, Wesley’s Shannon Senadheera beat Yonal Dankumbura 7-6 (4), 6-2.
Results : Under 14 Boys quarter-final
Jayan Sebastian beat Buvidu Jayawardana 6-4, 6-3.
Damsath Peiris beat Thuvakar Sathiees 6-3, 6-4.
D. Wickramasinghe beat Umar Wayis 6-3, 6-1.
Under 18 Boys’ semi-final
Louis Knese beat Ganuka Fernando 6-4, 6-3
Women’s Singles quarter-final
Rukshika Wijesuriya beat Sandithi Usgodaarachchi 4-6, 6-4, 6-4.
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