Sports
Nimali’s unique track record
Only athlete to win national titles in six disciplines
More than two decades after first competing at national level Nimali Liyanarachchi is still among the athletes to watch at top local competitions. When the 103rd National Athletics Championship unfolds at Diyagama on Saturday, she is the favourite to win the 800 metres title.
The 35-year-old trained by Sujith Abeysekara has a unique record to boast. While she has held national records in several events, she is probably the only athlete to have won national titles across six disciplines.
Those who have enjoyed the competition between Nimali and fellow Sooriyawewa athlete Gayanthika Abeyratne during the last decade will have no doubt that she is an 800 m specialist. It is the 800 metres that won her medals at Asian competitions and also earned a ticket to the Olympics. She has held national records in at least four disciplines including the 800m.
In 2016, Nimali shattered the long standing national record of Dhammika Menike (1992- Barcelona) at the National Sports Festival in Jaffna (2:03.5secs) and with that a mental barrier paving the way for the others to further improve on the record. She has won six national titles in the 800 metres and has been on the 800 metres podium on more than ten occasions. She also claimed her only 400 metres national title in 2016.
Nimali has also claimed a couple of national titles in the 1,500 metres and held the national record of the distance (4:15.86secs) for two years after breaking a seven year old record in 2019. She has improved the national record of the 3,000 metres steeplechase on several occasions and was part of the team that established the then national record of the women’s 4×400 metres at the Doha Asian Athletics Championship in 2019.
She has also won national titles in the 5000m (2008), 400m hurdles (2012) and the 3,000 metres steeplechase (2008, 2011).
She commenced as a promising long distance runner creating a youth record in the 5000 metres in 2006 and beaten many an odds both on and off the field to stay competitive.
This time she will be fighting to regain the 800 metres title after finishing as the runner up at back to back meets. When she takes the starters orders neither her longtime rival Gayanthika Abeyratne nor the Asian Games medallist Tharushi Karunaratne will be there to challenge her.
by Reemus Fernando
Colombo Kaps defended 197 runs to win the 12th match of the Lanka Premier League by restricting Dambulla Sixers to 176/8 at the Dambulla International Cricket Stadium on Saturday [25] night.
SCORES:
Colombo Kaps 197/5 in 20 overs [Rubin Hermann 39, Sadeera Samarawickrema 16, Sharujan Shanmuganathan 12, Kamindu Mendis 88*, Ben McDermott 14, Janith Liyanage 17; Fazalhaq Farooki 1-41, Dushmantha Chameera 1-41, Ramesh Mendis 1-05, Gulabdin Naib 1-15]
Dambulla Sixers 176/8 in 20 overs [Pavan Rathnayake 50, Marques Ackerman 40, Gulabdin Naib 28, Maheesh Thhekshana 13; Shahnawaz Dahani 2-20, Wanuja Sahan 1-34, Mujeeb Ur Rahman 2-33, Malsha Tharupathi 1-26, Milan Rathnayake 1-26]
Kandy Royals’ bowlers led by Nuwan Thushara were able to defend their score of 165 to win the 11th match of the Lanka Premier League by defeating Galle Gallants by 11 runs at Dambulla on Saturday.
SCORES:
Kandy Royals 165/6 in 20 overs [Lahiru Udara 16, Dale Phillips 34, Wanidu Hasaranga 16, Moeen Ali 41, Angelo Mathews 28, Vijay Shankar 15; Pramod Madushan 2-41, Akif Javed 2-26, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth 2-36]
Galle Gallants 154/8 in 20 overs [Sam Harper 14, Charith Asalanka 14, Chamika Karunarathne 52, Dasun Shanaka 57*; Nuwan Thushara 3-33, Asitha Fernando 2-33, Moeen Ali 1-11, Wanidu Hasaranga 1-26]
Innovative Production Group (IPG), the tournament rights holder of the Lanka Premier League (LPL), in consultation with Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), has terminated the franchise agreement with Sports Commune, which was granted franchise rights of the Jaffna Kings.
The termination follows the franchisee’s inability to fulfil its financial obligations under the terms of the franchise agreement. As a result, all rights relating to the Jaffna Kings franchise have reverted to IPG, which, together with Sri Lanka Cricket, has assumed full operational control of the team.
IPG confirms that the 6th edition of the LPL will proceed as scheduled and Jaffna Kings will continue to participate in the tournament under the same nomenclature, with no changes to the squad, tournament format, or match schedule.
To ensure the uninterrupted operation of the franchise, IPG and Sri Lanka Cricket have taken complete responsibility for all player, coaching staff, and support staff contracts. The organizers also confirm that all logistical arrangements for the team have been secured, ensuring the squad is intact for the tournament.
Furthermore, approximately 90% of all player and staff payments have already been completed, with the remaining payments to be settled in accordance with contractual commitments.
IPG and Sri Lanka Cricket remain committed to delivering a successful sixth edition of the Lanka Premier League while upholding the highest standards of professionalism, integrity and transparency for players, teams, commercial partners, and fans.
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