Records take a tumble at Army Inter-Regiment Athletics Meet

The Sri Lanka Army Inter-Regiment Athletics Meet celebrated its 50th instalment in grand style this season. The golden jubilee event had many programmes to go along with and was sponsored by Munchee, for the sixth consecutive year.

The main event was the Athletics Meet, which was organised and conducted by the Ari Lanka Army Athletics Committee established in 1950. The meet was held for three days at the Sugathadasa Stadium in Colombo and saw athletes representing 24 regiments competing for honours.

In addition a three-day photography exhibition was held to coincide with the main championship at the same venue and was open free for the public. The exhibition included a collection of 170 rare and significant photographs of athletes who brought merit to Sri Lanka Army and the country as a whole.

The Sri Lanka Electronic and Mechanical Engineering regiment’s Sachith Maduranga, who represented the javelin throw competition, won the award for best male athlete - the Munchee Challenge Trophy, while woman soldier U.K.N. Rathnayake of the 7th Sri Lanka Army Women’s Corps, who participated in the 1500metre event, won the award for best female athlete. Both athletes were presented with Munchee Challenge Trophies.

A total of 21 athletes including Chaminda Wijekoon, Prasanna Amarasekara, Nadeeka Lakmali, M.C. Dilrukshi, Rohitha Pushpakumara, R.D.U.S. Surendra, S.M. Safran, P.H. Chamal, Sachith Madhuranga, N.P. Gunathilaka, who brought fame to Sri Lanka at international level, were also among the participants at this year’s championship.

On the first day itself a new meet record of 57.57metres was set by national javelin throw champion Nadeeka Lakmali in the women’s category. She won the overall trophy for the best athlete at Sri Lanka Army 50th Inter-Reg- iment Athletic Meet. Altogether nine new meet records were established, out of which seven were from the women’s events, while two came from the men’s.

Dignitaries including Prime Minister D.M. Jayaratne, Army Commander Lieutenant General Daya Ratnayake and Nandana Wickramage, the Group Director of Head of Marketing for Munchee, graced the awards ceremony.