Incredible Amila wins Silver for Sri Lanka at Asian Indoors
Amazing Long jumper Amila Jayasiri sealed the first medal for Sri Lanka securing a Silver medal at the 5th Asian Indoor and Martial Art Games 2017 continued at Ashgabat in Turkmenistan earlier today.
Airman Jayasiri leapt 7.45m in his second attempt competing in his maiden indoor event to secure the medal and was only behind Vietnami Nguyen Tien Trong’s 7.48m.
Hailing from St. Joseph Vaz College Wennappuwa, Amila now trains under Cuban coach Luis Mirando.
He has been very unlucky throughout the last three years despite some amazing performances.
In 2014 Amila equalled the existing SL record of 7.86m but wasn’t selected for the Asian Games, as National Olympic Committee said they cannot change the previously entered entry, where AASL had entered the name of a different jumper as Amila wasn’t among the top three prior to the last trial.
Even though NOC had enough time to enter Amila’s name they did not respond to continuous attempts by AASL and finally the Bronze medal of the Asian Games was won by an athlete who leapt the same distance of 7.86m. In 2015 Amila could not break into the Asian C’ship team, while in 2016 after a few disappointing outings Amila finally shattered the SL record with 8.15m at the Defense Services Athletics Championship in Diyagama.
The distance was also the Olympic qualification mark. But unfortunately for Amila it was too late to make it to the Olympic Games as the long jump event of the Rio Olympic Games was held the same day. Ironically the fourth placed finisher at the Rio Olympic Games too had leapt 8.15m.
Then during this year Amila won Gold early in the year at the Philippine Open but failed to make an impact at the final trial for the Asian Championship due to an injury and he again missed the Asian C’ship, even though AASL Selection Committee had faith in Amila and selected him for the Indoor Games, where he produced a medal.
Indunil sets new SL record
Earlier, middle distance runner Indunil Herath clocked his personal best 1 minute 50. 91 seconds to win the 800m semi-finals and advance to tomorrow’s final.
In doing so, the South Asian Game’s Gold medalist renewed his own Sri Lanka record in the event once again during the games.
The event will be worked off at 7.45pm SL time tomrrow(20th) . Indunil, who won the Asian Grand Prix Gold medal earlier this year, is the favourite to win the Gold as he had the best timing out of the rest in the semi-finals. Former A.Rathnayaka CC Walala runner has years of experience running in 200m track which had come in handy running indoors, even though he has little experience competing in Indoor Synthetic tracks.
The Asian Championship Silver medalist and Asian Grand Prix Gold medalist Gayanthika Abeyaratne will eye the Gold medal in the women’s 800m which will be worked off at 7.30pm SL time tomorrow(20th).
She clocked 2:12.93 seconds to advance to the finals. Like Indunil, Gayanthika who hails from a difficult region in Suriyawewa, has plenty of experience in competing in 200m tracks, even though this has been her first indoor competition in her career.
Meanwhile, South Asian record holder in the 100m, Himasha Eashan, had his journey stopped at the semi-finals in the 60m, as he finished fourth in the semis with a time of 6.89sec and did not advance. Earlier he finished third in the heats and advanced to the semis.
Triple Jumper Vidusha Lakshani, who finished fourth in the Asian Championship, had a disappointing outing as she could only clear 12.51m to finish in seventh place.
The SL record holder of the event had an outdoor best of 13.64m but couldn’t match that effort, as this is her first competition indoors.
High Jumper Manjula Kumara Wijesekara will be the other athlete to compete in a final tomorrow (20th) and his event will start at 5.30pm.
