Five new national records were established at the National Weightlifting Championship, which was held at the National Sports Complex, Polonnaruwa over the weekend.
This National championship was a big boost to the local weightlifters before the World weigh lifting championship which is scheduled to be held from December 5 to 16 in Colombia
Lifters from around the island competed at the Polonnaruwa Gallela Public grounds Indoor Stadium including male and female weightlifters from age groups to open categories in different weight categories.
Commonwealth Games medalist, Dilanka Isuru Kumara of Sri Lanka Army was the first performer in the competition. Continuing from his Commonwealth Games success, Dilanka managed to bag three new national records in the Open Men’s 55 Kg event. Dilanka snatched a record 116Kg while his Clean and Jerk was also a record successfully clearing 141Kg. The Total weight cleared by him which was another national record by Dilanka was 257Kg. With an impressive performance where he managed to bag three national records in the event, Dilanka was adjudged the Best Men’s Lifter of the competition.
Meanwhile, Skipper of the national weightlifting team, Indika Dissanayake of Sri Lanka Navy, a silver medalist at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games 2018 made use of his experience as a seasoned campaigner notching up a national record in the Open Men’s 73Kg event. He notched up a national record with his snatch clearing 135Kg. Having cleared 160Kg Indika won gold in the Men’s 73Kg weight category.
Ruchitha Jayasena of Sri Lanka Air Force recorded the other national record established at the competition. Competing in the Open Men 81Kg weight category, Ruchitha snatched a record 138Kg to lay claim to the national record while clearing 160kg in the clean and jerk.
W.D.K Kumara of Galle D.W.A who won gold in the Boys Under 17 65Kg event was adjudged the Best Lifter in the Boys Under 17 Category. R.L.S.R Laksarani also from Galle D.W.A was the winner of the Girls Under 17 55Kg event and was adjudged the Best Lifter of the Under 17 Category.
In the Under 20 age group S.W.K.R.S.D.Somathilak of Sri Lanka Amry who won the Boys Under 20 55Kg event was adjudged the best lifter while M.D.M.Pramarathna of Kurunegala W.C who won the Girls Under 20 45Kg, 50Kg event and went on to win the Open women’s 45Kg event was adjudged the best lifter
Chamari Warnakulasooriya of Sri Lanka Navy who notched up a win in the Open Women’s 55Kg event was picked as the Best Women’s best lifter in the open category.