Sports
Nethmika, Dharshana shine with record breaking feats
Sir John Tarbat Senior Athletics Championships
by Reemus Fernando
Long jumper Nethmika Madushani Herath and hurdler Dhanuka Dharshana continued their impressive run in the junior circuit as they established new meet records on day three of the Sir John Tarbat Senior Athletics Championships at Diyagama on Thursday.
Madushani from Nannapurawa, Moneragala shattered Ridma Nishadi’s 2016 meet record as she reached her personal best with a feat of 6.09 metres in the Under 18 girls’ long jump event. Coached by her school’s Physical Training Instructor Krishantha Kumara, Madushani had already reached qualifying standards for next month’s Asian Youth Championships when she entered the competition yesterday. She went beyond the Asian Youth Championships qualifying mark (of 5.75 metres) five times yesterday and produced her best performance in her penultimate jump (5.60m, 5.80m, 5.94m, 5.79m, 6.09m, 5.91m)
According to World Athletics statistics only three jumpers in her age category have cleared the six metres mark this year in Asia. Her personal best mark is now good enough to secure the second rank in Asia in her age category.
In the Under 20 age category, Ambagamuwa MV athlete Dhanuka Dharshana smashed the meet record held by Pasindu Kodikara as he won the boys’ 400 metres hurdles with a time of 52.25 seconds. Of the athletes who represented Sri Lanka at the recently held World Junior Championships in Cali, Dharshana was the only athlete to come up with impressive performances so far in this meet. In the Under 16 girls’ pole vault P. Abisalyni of Chavakachcheri Hindu College established a new meet record clearing a height of three metres.
Of the many relay events held in the morning the Under 16 boys’ 4×100 metres attracted attention after it was rerun on St. Benedict’s request for a fault in a changing zone. When the event was rerun the Bens secured a podium finish but could not disturb Maris Stella and St. Peter’s who retained the gold and silver. Maris Stella had a scare entering the home strait but Dilanka Devinda managed to pull off victory with a stunning anchor leg.
(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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