Sri Lankan athletics (SLA) are expected to conduct Centenary National Championships which is scheduled to be held on April 8, 9, and 10 at Mahinda Rajapaksa Stadium Diyagama. This will be more important for local athletes as it has named the final selection for the Asian Games. The Vice President of SLA said entries will close on March 29 for this Centenary Athletic Championships.
The first and second selection trials already concluded successfully while most of the juniors were highlighted during the first two trials. They were able to qualify for the World Junior Athletic Championship which is scheduled to be held from August 1st to 6th in Colombia.
Sachini Perera, the current Pole Vault National champ, renewed her record with a height of 3.70m during the second selection trial held at Mahinda Rajapaksa Stadium Diyagama last week. However, the main attraction was 17-year old Tharushi Karunaratne from Walala A. Ratnayake Central who competed at 400m and 800m women’s events. Karunaratne finished first at 400m with her best 54.36 seconds to also qualify for the World Junior Athletic Championships. She had a good fight with National record holder Dilshi Kumarasinghe at the 800m final. Tharushi Karunaratne cross over the finish line with a time of 2:06.99min while Kumarasinghe finished in 2:07.00 minutes in 800m.
In addition, 17-year-old Sithum Jayasundara of Sir John Kotalawala College Kurunegala finished second at 400m with 47.39 seconds to qualify for the World Junior Meet. Amesha Heetiarachchi of Viharamahadevi BMV Kandy excelled at 400m hurdlers with 1 minute 00.49 seconds (new Junior National record) also qualified for the World Junior Athletic Championship while Nihinsa Mandini of Yatiyana MV was able to set up women’s hammer throw Junior National record with 39.57m throw. Holly Cross Gampaha athlete Jayesi Uththara who excelled at women’s 400m finished at third with a timing of 55.19 seconds also qualified for the World Junior Meet.
The Olympian Sumedha Ranasinghe recorded the second-best feat of his career in the Javelin with a throw of 81.79m to achieve the qualification standard for the Asian Games. Rumeshika Ratnhayake who came back after her injury performed well at the 100m final.
Rumeshika was able to beat National champion, Amasha de Silva, with a photo finish as both recorded 11.84 seconds. Sarangi Silva who set a new long jump record at the first trial and Gayanthika Aberatne the 1500m record holder did not compete at the second trial and both of them once again will back in the National Championship which is going to be a keen tussle among National athletes.