St. Benedict’s Kotahena and Lyceum Int. Wattala emerge champions

St. Benedict’s College Kotahena defended their title at the Western Province Schools Athletics Championship 2017 in the Boy’s category while Lyceum International School Wattala came to the fore for the first time, winning the Girls’ title at the Diyagama International Stadium in Homagama on Thursday.

St. Benedict’s, who took the major honours in track events, finished off on top with 200 points aggregate from the fourday event as they toppled close rivals Maris Stella College Negombo, who earned 163 points, to second place. Lyceum Internationa Wattala finished at third overall with 98 points.

In the Girls’ category, first time win- ners Lyceum Wattala collected 157 points to become champions ahead of Ave Maria Convent Negombo, who finished second with 97 points and Holy Cross College Gampaha, who earned 87 points to claim the third spot overall.

Ushan Thivanka of Maris Stella was adjudged the Best Athlete among boys for his achievement of 2.15metres in the Boy’s Under- 20 High Jump event. Long jumper Poornima Gunaratne of Leeds International School Panadura won the Best Athlete in the Girls category in the Under-20 event for her leap of 5.66 metres in the long jump event.

Lyceum’s Tharaka Divyanjali became the Best Athlete in the Under- 18 Girls’ category for her feat of 25.40 seconds in the 200 metres sprint event. Shehan Dilusha Kariyawasam of St. Joseph’s College Colombo clocked an impressive 14.0seconds to win the Under- 18 110metres hurdles, which earned him the Under-18 Boy’s Best Athlete title.

Gateway College sprinter Sadeepa Handerson was the best athlete in the Girls’ Under-16 after her performance of 5.37metres in the long jump event. The Boy’s championship of that age went to Devindu Pradeep of D. S. Senanayake College Colombo who achieved 6.52 metres in the Under-16 long jump event.