Purnima makes golden leap at South Asian Junior Athletics Championships

For 15- year- old Pur nima Jayamali Guneratne, securing the gold medal for the high jump event at the recently concluded South Asian Ju n i o r A t h l e t i c s Championships, has given her encouragement to continue sports while studying to be a future medical professional.

A six- footer, Purnima won the Gold medal with a 1.68m performance at the South Asian Juniors held in Ranchi, India this month.

A student of Leeds International School, Panadura, Purnima has won a number of sports awards in inter- international school and all island competition as well as overseas tournaments.

“I started karate and badminton when I was just eight years old and later with my height, our coach suggested to shift to high jump,”she said.

In 2011, she secured first position in the high jump event at the InterInternational School Athletic Championships. This year at the All- Island School Games, held at the Sugathadasa Stadium, she set a high jump record of 1.60m. Her personal best is 1.70m.

Purnima came fourth at this year’s Asia School Track and Field Championship held in Malaysia with a performance of 1.68m. However, she was able to claim victory at Ranchi with the Indian player, who won gold in Malaysia, coming second.

Amidst a hectic sports schedule, Purnima also sat for her London Ordinary Level Examinations this ye a r and passed with distinctions(As) for Mathematics, Biology and Chemistry.

“My practices are limited to mornings. Practices start at 6 a. m. and continue till eight in the morning. I allocate the evenings for studies. I make sure to spend Sundays at home with my family,”she added.

Sports Director at Leeds, Jude Fernando, said Purnima, with her ability to handle both sports and studies, will secure more awards and medals in senior championships in the coming years.

He said she had been training under coach Nimal Jayakody Dharmaratne for many years and he has been able to sharpen her skills gradually.

“She was a student of ours since nursery and has been a sports enthusiast from a very young age. Her Ordinary Level results this year and gold medal at the South Asian Juniors reflect her dedication in both studies as well as sports,” Principal of Leeds International, Panadura, Ms. Malini Edussuriya said. -

Nadia Fazlulhaq