HASHINI PRABODA BEST ATHLETE AT JUNIOR NATIONALS
Hashini Praboda Balasuriya of Holy Family Convent Wennappuwa was named as the Best Overall Athlete at the 55th Junior National Athletic Championships which concluded at the Mahinda Rajapaksa Sports Complex in Diyagama yesterday.
Hashini produced a record breaking performance of 13.20 metres to win the Girls Under-20 triple jump final on the final day of the meet in the most spectacular manner.
She who was named as the Best Athlete in the Girls’ Under-20 category, also shattered the previous record of 13.12 metres held by Vidusha Lakshani of Sri Lanka Army SC in 2016.
Meanwhile, the 4-day meet which was conducted by the Athletics Association of Sri Lanka (AASL) produced a total of 21 records while two records were equalled.
Another significant feature in this meet was that three promising athletes namely H. M. H. Asmika Herath (Kuliyapitiya MMV - Girls’ 2,000m steeple chase), Navodya Sankalpa (Mahinda College - Boys’ 400m hurdles) and Ravishka Indrajith (St.benedict’s College Boys’ 400m) qualified to compete in the IAAF World Under-18 Championship which will be held in Kenya in July.
Sadini Kaveesha of Vijitha MMV Dickwella took the Best Athlete award in the Girls’ Under-16 category for her record breaking effort in the long jump event (5.48m)
Shemal Malinda Perera of St. Mary’s Chilaw won the Best Athlete award in the Boys’ Under16 category after he won the 200 metres final with a time of 22.68 seconds.
In addition, Asmika Herath of Kuliyapitiya Central was selected as the Best Athlete in the Girls’ Under-18 category for her record breaking performance (6:59.96s) in the 2,000 metres steeple chase final.
The Under-18 Boys’ Best Athlete award went to Shehan Kariyawasam of St. Joseph’s College Colombo after he established a new meet record in the 110 metres hurdles with a time of 14.41s.
Meanwhile, Nipun Kavinda Caldera of Loyola College Negombo took the Best Athlete award in the Boys’ Under-20 category.
He set up a new meet record in the long jump final with an effort of 7.52 metres.
P. G. N. Madushika of Sri Lanka Air Force SC clinched the Best Athlete award in the Girls’ Under23 category for her record breaking performance of 55.10s in the 400 metres final.
L. G. Dananjaya of Sri Lanka Army SC took the Best Athlete award in the Boys’ Under-23 category after he established a new meet record (7.83 metres) in the long jump.