Sports

Sports Officers’ Union concerned over hasty arrangements for marathon and road events

Published

2 years ago

2021/03/15

by Reemus Fernando

B.V.R. Jayalal, the president of the All Island Sports Officers Union expressed concerns over the hasty arrangements to conduct the grueling road events of the National Sports Festival at Kataragama on short notice.

The Department of Sports Development of the Ministry of Sports has made hurried arrangements to conduct the marathon, cycling and race walking events of the National Sports Festival 2020 on March 26, 27 and 29th respectively.

Unlike at previous editions where the winners of respective provinces advanced to the national event, the 2020 edition will be held as an open event.

“We as the All Island Sports Officers Union have objected to conducting the marathon and other road events in such short notice. It is not the ideal time to conduct a marathon at Kataragama as the temperature will increase to soaring heights during this period. And the athletes have not had enough time to prepare for these events,” said Jayalal in an interview with The Island yesterday.

“The event is set to be an utter failure and the health of athletes will be at huge risk due to the heat. When athletes advance to this event from provincial level, provincial sports departments take the responsibility of athletes and their expenses are taken care of. But this time it is not. The athletes do not have enough time to prepare when such events are conducted at short notice,” said Jayalal.

“Administrators at top level have no idea what heat will do to athletes. And they do not know that coaches prepare their athletes according to a plan.”

“This is not the first time. Such faux passes keep on happening as the decisions are taken by officials who have no sports background. Administrative officials with no experience on technical matters in sports take vital decisions regarding sports. Such decisions will hamper sports,” he said.

“Of all the Provincial Directors of Sports there are only two who have climbed up the hierarchy after being in the Sports Officers Service. All others are administrative officials who have no sports background. We reckoned that Provincial Directors of Sports should be from the Sports Officers Service. I kept the Sports Minister informed of several issues of concern like these when he took over as the Sports Minister. We are waiting for him to take action,” he said.

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Sports

Second ODI between New Zealand and Sri Lanka abandoned

Published

2 hours ago

2023/03/28

Priyan

(pic ICC)

The second ODI between New Zealand and Sri Lanka has been called off due to rain in Christchurch.

Sports

Lahiru takes five wickets as Joes take lead

Published

6 hours 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

6 hours 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.