Dhammissara National School Athletic Team posed for a photograph after their relay event which was worked off at Mahinda Rajapaksa Stadium, Diyagama. Standing L/R – Maleesha Umashi de Alwis Chamathka Nethmini, Sandali Mihisarani,Minuli Umeshi de Alwis (Picture by Dilwin Mendis Moratuwa Sports Special Correspondent)
Eighteen year old Sprinter three times John Tarbet Athletic Champion, 4×100 and 4×440 member of the school relay teams. All Island Karate Gold Medalist in Kata and Netball player Sandali Mihisarani has brought honour and immense glory to her alma mater Dhammissara National School Nattandiya with her deeds in the field of sports.
Sandali Mihisarani |
Sandali who hails from Puluwelgala Nattandiya was born on 20th November 2004 and initially admitted to her village school Puluwelgala Government School in 2010 and in the following year her Parents AjithWanasinghe and Renuka Malkanthi admitted their daughter to Dhammissara National School Nattandiya in the hope of giving an all round education to their daughter and when she was in grade two she commenced athletics and came first in 50 and 75 metres and in the group events at the school inter house sports meet. When she came up to grade six their parents handed over her to the School Coach Keerthi Jayasekera and in the 2014 school meet she did 100, 200 and 400 metres and emerged as the school under 14 champion and in the following year too she repeated the same performances and at the School Netball Tournament they clinched the trophy. In the meantime she came under school Karate Coach MPeter and at the All Island National School meet she won a Gold Medal for Kata Event in Karate and did not go further as her forte is athletics.
In the under 16 age group she won 50 metres and at the Zonal Meet she won the Long Jump and came third in 50 metres In 2018 she participated for the John Tarbet Meet at Embilipitiya and came third in 80 metres and in the 4×100 metres relay event she did the last lap and their team got merit certificates in 2014. She was advised by her Coach to continue with the last lap in relays and at the Provincial meet they came first in 4×400 and second in 4×100 and she came third in 200 metres.
Then at the Puttalam Youth Festival she won the 400 metres and came second in the 200 metres and swept the board in 4×100 and 4×400 metres relay events and her team mates are Maleesha,Minoli and Chamathka.
Then in 2016 at the John Tarbet Meet in the 100 x4 metres they received certificates and at the Puttalam District Open Meet she came second in 100 metres and her team was placed second in 4×100 and 4×400 metres and at the DRO Open Meet she came second in 200 and second in 4×100 and 4×400 and finally at the 2022 John Tarbet Meet they reached the qualifying time in the 4×100 and 4×400 metres.