Sports
Sri Lanka win five medals at Asian Youth Athletics Championship
by Reemus Fernando
Wickramabahu National School, Gampola athlete Nirmali Wickramasinghe won the silver medal in the girls’ 800 metres as Sri Lanka’s medal count increased to five at the Asian Youth Athletics Championships in Kuwait. Wickramasinghe clocked 2:15.42 seconds to clinch the silver behind India’s Ashakiran Barla, who returned a time of 2:06.79 seconds to claim the gold. Despite the country’s best medal hopeful Madushani Herath failing to win a medal in the girls’ long jump, Sri Lanka youth team were enjoying the highest medal count in this four-editions-old Championships as five athletes clinched medals in Kuwait.
Lyceum International, Panadura athlete Razwin Carrim was competing in the long jump when this edition went to press in the evening yesterday, the last day of the meet. Of the other seven athletes who competed during the first three days, five accounted for five medals. Thurstan College sprinter Salamuthu Jayathilaka and Sir John Kothalawala College, Kurunegala athlete Theminda Rajapaksa opened the medal hunt clinching the silver and bronze respectively in the boys’ 400 metres on Friday. Jayathilaka clocked 48.58 seconds to finish second, while Rajapaksa returned a time of 48.70 seconds for his bronze.
In the boys’ high jump, where the winner scaled a height of 2.21 metres, the Sri Lankan duo settled for the silver and bronze. Bodagama M.V., Thanamalwila athlete Deneth Anuhas cleared a height of 2.01 metres for his silver. D.S. Senanayake College, Colombo athlete Lesandu Arthavidu cleared a height of 1.97 metres for his bronze. Of the ten athletes who competed only the first three cleared the 1.97 metres mark. The four-day championship which was scheduled to culminate yesterday was originally scheduled for 2021 but was postponed due to the Covid 19 pandemic.
When Sri Lanka competed in the debut championships in Doha the country won four medals including a gold. That remained the highest medal count until this edition as Sri Lanka won only two (2017- 1-silver, 1-bronze) and three (2019- 2- silver, 1-bronze) medals respectively in the next two editions.
(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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