Sports
Nadeesha, Kalinga return with a bang, Sarangi breaks 21 year old record
98th National Athletics Championship- Day 1
by Reemus Fernando
Sprinters Nadeesha Ramanayake and Kalinga Kumarage and long jumper Sarangi Silva commenced from where they left exactly a year ago as they produced outstanding feats on day one of the 98th National Athletics Championship at the Sugathadasa Stadium on Saturday.
Ramanayake, who missed the South Asian Games in Nepal after being diagnose with dengue fever on her arrival there, recorded her personal best in winning the women’s 200 metres. Aided by a 1.8 tail wind, Ramanayake clocked 24.15 seconds to better her previous personal best recorded in August last year. The 26 year old sprinter from Southern Province was part of the Asian Championship 4×400 metres relay team which established a new national record in Doha in early 2019 and was expected to win medals in Nepal last December before dengue derailed her plans. She is expected to come all guns blazing when her pet event, the 400 metres, is held on the final day.
Kalinga rises, Vinoj crashes
Equally impressive was Kalinga Kumarage’s dash to win the men’s 200 metres title as the defending champion and National record holder Suranjaya de Silva crashed to a disappointing sixth place finish. Kalinga who was cleared of doping charges by a disciplinary committee in December last year was taking part in a meet after more than two years. He was temporarily suspended by SLADA in January 2019.
From the time he set the pace in the heats, Kalinga (21.08 secs) looked the athlete in form and returned an impressive 20.79 seconds to claim the 200 metres title. For a while it looked as if he had shattered Prasanna Amarasekara’s long standing meet record (2004- 20.80 secs). The wind gauge showed that his impressive effort had been supported by a tail wind of +2.4 which prevented it from being called a record.
Sarangi shines
The women’s long jump gold and silver were shared by South Asian Games medallists Sarangi Silva and Anjani Pulwansa respectively. SA Games gold medallist Sarangi cleared 6.33 metres to break Indian Anju B Marcos’s record created at the 1999 Nationals. Pulwansa, who cleared 6.06 metres was the only other athlete to go beyond the six metres mark.
Olympian Sumeda Ranasinghe registered a 76.10 metres throw to win the javelin title while former national record holder Waruna Lakshan settled for silver with a throw of 71.86 metres. Others failed to clear the 70 metres.
Olympic hopeful Nilani Ratnayake was easily the best in the women’s 3000 metres steeplechase but gusty winds prevented her from reaching her best as she returned a time of 10:15.86 seconds to retain her title.
In the men’s 5000 metres R.M.S. Pushpakumara was the winner as he clocked an impressive 14:29.45 seconds. He was eight seconds behind the 25 year old meet record held by Saman Weerawardana.
Sri Lanka Athletics is conducting the 98th National Athletics Championships under trying conditions due to the Covid 19 pandemic. Absence of competitions due to the pandemic has prevented top athletes from improving their world rankings which is a must to realize their Olympic aspirations.
Day 1 Results
Women’s 200m: 1. Nadeesha Ramanayake (SL Army) 24.15 secs, 2. Fathima Shafiya Yamick (SL Army) 24.30 secs, 3. W.S.H. Fernando (SL Navy) 24.83 secs.
Women’s Long Jump:
1. S.L. Sarangi Silva (SL Army) 6.33m (NMR), 2. Anjani Pulwansa (Unattached) 6.06m, 3. E.M.S. Upeksha (SL Universities) 5.63m.
Women’s 3000m Steeplechase:
1. U.K.N. Rathnayake (SL Army) 10:15.86secs, 2. H.K.I.T. Udayakumari (SL Army) 11:13.35 secs, 3. W.H.N. Kumari (SL Navy) 11:36.02 secs.
Men’s 200m: 1. Kalinga Kumarage (SL Army) 20.79 secs, 2. A.S.M Safan (SL Army) 21.41 secs, 3. S. Aruna Darshana (SL Army) 21.49 secs.
Men’s 5000m:
1. R.M.S. Pushpakumara (SL Army) 14:29.45 secs, 2. A.K. Tharanga (SL Air Force) 14:36.39 secs, 3. S.M.D.M. Samarakoon (SL Air Force) 14:46.07 secs.
Men’s Long Jump:
1. L. Sreshan Dhananjaya (SL Army) 7.71m, 2. K.K.M.K. Karunasekara (SL Army) 7.59m, 3. J.H.G. Sampath (SL Army) 7.58m.
Men’s Shot Put:
1. W.S.M. Fernando (SL Army) 16.12m, 2. R. Samitha Jayawardene (SL Army) 15.07m, 3. A.M.M. Perera (SL Police) 14.07m.
Men’s Javelin 1. R.M. Sumeda Ranasinghe (SL Army) 76.10m, 2. R.P. Waruna Dayarathna (SL Army) 71.86m, 3. Ranjith Nuwan Kumara (SL Army) 69.43m.
Central College produced a remarkable final day comeback to win the Battle of the North Big Match, defeating St. John’s College by three wickets after an outstanding eighth-wicket partnership between Murali Thison and Jesuthasan Nitharsan.
Central had been playing second fiddle to their arch-rivals for most of the match until the morning of the third day, when Thison and Nitharsan turned the game around with a match-winning unbeaten stand of 93 runs.
At the start of the final day Central were in a difficult position, trailing by more than 120 runs with only four wickets in hand. Overnight batsman Iyathure Kabishek, who had scored 21, was dismissed after adding 37 runs for the seventh wicket with Thison. From that point onwards, Thison and Nitharsan combined to frustrate the St. John’s bowlers, batting together for 12 overs to guide their team to a memorable victory.
Emmanouil Karalis in action in Rouen
Thison had already been a thorn in the flesh of the St. John’s batting line-up from the opening day, capturing 12 wickets in the match, including seven in the second innings. However, his superb bowling effort initially appeared likely to go in vain due to Central’s poor batting performance.
Central beat St. John’s by three wickets at the Battle of the North Big Match.
Central had struggled in their first innings, being bowled out for just 95 runs, with the highest individual score coming from Antanareshan Abishek who made 23. Only three other batsmen reached double figures, while Thison was dismissed for just one run.
In contrast, Thison rose to the occasion in the second innings, producing a magnificent unbeaten 81 that proved to be the cornerstone of Central’s successful chase. His innings came off 126 balls and included eight boundaries and a six.
Nitharsan played the perfect supporting role with a brisk unbeaten 44 off just 33 deliveries, striking five fours and two sixes to accelerate the scoring during the decisive stand.
Earlier in the innings, openers Jayaseelan Jenoshan (20) and Kabilan Amalan (45) had given Central a solid start, putting on 44 runs for the first wicket.
St. John’s had earlier gained the advantage with a first-innings lead, and in their second innings a brilliant century from Uthayanan Abijoyshanth — 121 off 105 balls with 15 fours and four sixes — helped them post a challenging total of 247.
Despite the odds being heavily stacked against them heading into the final day, Central’s determined batting display, led by Thison and Nitharsan, ensured a memorable turnaround and a thrilling victory in the historic Battle of the North.
The traditional Big Match between St. Sebastian’s College Moratuwa and Prince of Wales’ College Moratuwa ended in a draw after an absorbing contest at De Soysa Stadium Moratuwa on Sunday.
St. Sebastian’s produced a strong second innings batting display with five top-order batsmen scoring half centuries to finish on 279 for five wickets declared, setting their arch rivals a target of 230 runs for victory.
Prince of Wales struggled in their run chase and were reeling at 54 for five wickets at stumps after 28 overs when play concluded.
Batting first, St. Sebastian’s were bowled out for 214 runs with Chamath Wellalage providing the main resistance with a half century. Nethul Anuhas and Rusandu Silva shared the bowling honours for the Cambrians, claiming three wickets each.
Prince of Wales responded with 263 runs in their first innings to take a slender lead. Suwahas Fernando anchored the innings with a well-compiled 77 off 145 deliveries, holding the top order together. Opening batsman Palingu Perera also made a valuable contribution with 42 runs.
Milantha Silva was the standout bowler for the Sebastianites, delivering a marathon spell of 36.2 overs to capture five wickets for 100 runs. Koshendra Fernando provided good support, claiming three wickets while bowling 31 overs.
In their second innings, St. Sebastian’s mounted an impressive batting effort. Thivanka Fernando (50), Kaveesha Perera (52), Lashen Fernando (54), Koshendra Fernando (66 not out off 68 balls) and Chamath Wellalage (50 not out off 49 balls) all struck half centuries as the Sebastianites declared at 279 for five, setting up an intriguing finish.
However, the Cambrians lost wickets at regular intervals during their chase before the match eventually ended in a draw.
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