Gampaha athletes take lead on Day 2

Gampaha District athletes took the lead on the points table with 117 on the second day of the 33rd National Youth Sports Games organised by the Ministry of Sports and Youth, National Youth Services Council, and Sri Lanka Youth Social Federation, which was held at the Sugathadasa International Stadium yesterday.

The Colombo and Kurunegala districts obtained second and third places with 88 and 65 points, respectively.

Three new records were set on the second day under the 20 women’s 1,500m, 400m, and 110m hurdles events.

K. Shanika Lakshani of Gampaha piled up a new record in 1,500 meter event with a timing of 4:35.55 minutes. The previous record was set by K.A.C. Jayamini (4:43.47 m) of Ratnapura in 2011.

Shanika Lakshani also made another new meet record in the 800 meter event (2:11.27 m) yesterday. Sayuri Lakshima Mendis of Gampaha beat the earlier record created by D.Y.M. Dulanjali of Nuwara Eliya (56.05 seconds) in 2016 by clocking 56 seconds in the 400 meter event.

The other new record came in the 110 meter hurdles event by H.A.P. Hettiarachchi of Kandy, with a timing of 14.97 seconds.

She beat the previous record set by N.G.P.R. Gunathilake of Kegalle (15.24 seconds) in 2018. The four champions of the sports festival, both men and women under and over 20 categories, have taken steps to give away Rs.1 million cash prizes with trophies, said Director General of NYSC Damitha Wickramasinghe.

The concluding ceremony of the event is scheduled to be held today at 4.00 pm, at the Sugathadasa International Stadium, in the presence of Youth and Sports Minister Namal Rajapaksa, Director General of National Youth Services Council Damitha Wickramasinghe, and Secretary of Sri Lanka Youth Social Federation Dilshan Chathuranga Jayakuru.