Eshan, Sugandi still the fastest runners in Sri Lanka
Himasha Eshan and V. L. Sugandi became the fastest runners at the Sri Lanka’s 97th Athletics National Championships worked off for the second day at the Sugathadasa Stadium, Colombo yesterday. Eshan won the Men’s 100m sprint in 10.49 seconds in a photo-finish final as Suranjaya de Silva finished at the same time while Priyadarshana Abeykoon clocked 10.52 seconds for the third place. In the photo-finish Eshan had pipped out by a whisker breasting ahead of a shouldering de Silva.
In the Women’s 100m final, Sugandi beat Amasha de Silva by clocking 12.08 seconds.
Sri Lanka’s long distance top runner Hiruni Wijerante won the women’s 10000m race, which started at 7.00am yesterday, to record her first win in the National Championship. Wijeratne easily finished the Women’s 10000m event in 35:30.0 beating N.L. Ariyadasa, who clocked 35:42.3. However, the US-based athlete was unable to display a stunning performance as expected.
As the three-day meet had been declared as the ultimate platform to be selected for this year’s South Asian Games (SAG), Wijeratne had to return to the country and run on a difference condition here in Sri Lanka.
Wijeratne had run her pet event in 33:55.06 minutes at an event in Portland, USA last year. That was the National Record for the 10000m Women’s. The IAAF qualified runner will compete in the 5000m final, which is scheduled for today, the final day at 7.15am.
After an injury lay off, Aruna Dharshana gave a spirited display in the men’s 400m finals. Darshana, Sri Lanka’s 400m relay team’s anchor leg, won the race in 46.76 seconds defeating L.P. Gunaratne, who clocked 47.18 seconds. However, Darshana couldn’t reach his personal best timing of 45.78.
RESULTS (DAY 2 FINALS):
Men:
100m: 1 Himasha Eshan ( SL Army) 10.49 sec, 2 Suranjaya de Silva ( SL Army) 10.49, 3 Priyadarshana Abeykoon ( SL Army) 10.52 sec.
400m: 1 Aruna Dharshana (SL Army) 46.76 sec, 2 L.P. Gunaratne ( SL Army) 47.18 sec, 3 R. N. Rajakaruna (SL Army) 47.49 sec.
Shot Put: 1 S.M. Fernando (SL Army) 16.23m, 2 Samitha Jayawardena (SL Army) 15.88m, 3 JD Perera (SL Army) 15.08m.
1500m: 1 Kupun Kushantha (SL Army) 3:47.61 min, 2 Sajeewa Lakmal (SL Army) 3:51.29 min, 3 K. T. Fonseka ( SL Army) 3: 55.39 min.
10000m: 1 K. Shanmugeshwaran ( SL Army) 31: 00.46 min, 2 M. U. Kumara (SL Army) 31:00.77 min, 3 Kumara Bandara ( SL Army) 31:00.98 min.
Discuss Throw: 1 G. U. Jayawardena (SL Navy) 50.59m, 2 P.J. Bandula (SL Army) 43.90m, 3 M.S. Niroshana (Police SC) 43.68m.
Long Jump: 1 Raveendra Lakmal (SL Army) 7.10m, 2 M.T. Gayan ( SL Army) 6.82m, 3 R. L. Peramuna (SL Army) 6.76m.
Triple Jump: 1 Safreen Ahamed ( SL Army) 16.33m, 2 Greshan Dhananjaya (SL Army) 16.10m, 3 J. M. Ariyaratne ( SL Army) 15.76m.
Hammer Throw: 1 Sisira Kumara (SL Army) 50.86m, 2 A.S. Bandara (SL Army) 49.85m, 3 S.R. Kumarasiri (SL Army) 49.11m.
High Jump: 1 U. T. Perera ( SL Army) 2.13m, 2 P.S. Tharuka (SL School) 2.09m, 3 I.U. Kumara (SL Army) 2.05m.
Women:
100m: 1 V. L. Sugandi ( SL Army) 12.08 sec, 2 Amasha de Silva ( Kandy DAA) 12.20 sec, 3 Sharmila Jan 12.24 sec.
400m: 1 R. Nadeesha (SL Army) 53.11 sec, 2 E. K. Madushani ( SL Army) 54.30 sec, 3 W. U. Ratnakumari (SL Army) 54.49 sec.
10000m: 1 Hiruni Wijeratne (Lanka Lions) 35:30.0 min, 2 N.L. Ariyadasa (SL Air Force) 35:42.3 min, 3 S. A. Lamahewage ( SL Navy) 36:52.8 min.
Discuss Throw: 1 V.V. Lakmali ( SL Air Force) 44.90m, 2 M. P. Perera ( SL Navy) 42.00m, 3 Poornima Perera (SL Air Force) 36.94m.
High Jump: 1 D.K. Ranasinghe ( SL Navy) 1.75m, 2 M. M. Madushani (SL Air Force) 1.69m, 3 E.N. Pallegama (Kegalle DAA) 1.65m.
Pole Vault: 1 S. K. Perera ( SL Army) 3.40m, 2 Nesara Dakshitha ( SL School) 3.40m, 3 Anittha Jegadeeswaran ( SL School) 3.33m.
Javelin Throw: 1 Nadeeka Lakmalli (SL Army) 57.19m, 2 ND Lekamge (SL Army) 50.62m, 3 PH Sewwandi (Lanka Lions) 46.96m.
Shot Put: 1 T.K. Fernando (SL Air Force) 14.48m, 2 Nadeeka Muthunayake (SL Navy) 13.05m, 3 A.P. Kumari (Police SC) 12.27m.