Sports
Sumedha, Chamal make further gains in ‘Road to Oregon 2022’ rankings
by Reemus Fernando
Javelin thrower Sumedha Ranasinghe and triple jumper Chamal Kumarasiri have given Sri Lanka’s track and field fraternity something to celebrate after they made notable gains in the World Athletics ‘Road to Oregon 2022’ rankings.
Their notable performances at the centenary National Athletics Championships have given them rich dividends.
Ranasinghe has further improved his position to be in the 20th quota position making him the most eligible male athlete from Sri Lanka for the World Championship on current standings.
The ‘Road to Oregon 2022’ rankings determines the participants’ eligibility for the World Athletics Championships which will be held from July 15 to 24 in Oregon, USA. While only 32 athletes are selected for men’s javelin, the first 11 spots are filled by athletes who reach the tough qualifying standard of 85 metres. The other 21 places are allocated according to the rankings in the ‘Road to Oregon 2022’
Ranasinghe has advanced eight positions up after the World Athletics recognized his performance at last month’s National Athletics Championships. Last week, the athlete trained by Pradeep Nishantha was in the 28th position in the ‘Road to Oregon 2022’ ranking based on his performance in March.
He threw a distance of 82.18 metres at the centenary National Championships and as expected the 31-year-old has gained much-needed points to be in contention to represent Sri Lanka at the biennial event. He has to maintain that position until June 26, the deadline for qualification.
So far Ranasinghe is the only athlete in the men’s category to have secured a position within the required quota places in the ‘Road to Oregon 2022’ rankings.
In the women’s category, steeplechase athlete Nilani Ratnayake is the only contender. She is ranked 30th in that list.
Triple jumper Kumarasiri who cleared a notable distance of 16.40 metres at the National Championship has secured the 38th position in the ‘Road to Oregon 2022’ ranking list. However, he has to climb at least six places up to be eligible for qualification. With no other top-grade competition available for local athletes here, he will find it a difficult target to accomplish.
The US based high jumper Ushan Thiwanka and Italy based sprinter Yupun Abeykoon have improved their world ranking positions but are yet to secure a place in the ‘Road to Oregon 2022’ rankings.
(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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