400m runners Aruna and Pasindu to Jamaica

Two young 400m runners, Aruna Darshan and Pasindu Kodikara, will be sent to Jamaica for special training from December to April, AASL confirmed.

The two athletes will be huge favourites when it comes to Sri Lanka’s medal prospects at three future International Junior events in 2018 – the South Asian Junior, Asian Junior and IAAF World Junior Championships.

Aruna Darshan from Akuramboda CC clocked an amazing 47.19 seconds at the recently concluded All Island School Games to win the best athlete title. His performance at the age of 18 is better than Asian Junior Gold medallist in 2016 and Sri Lanka will have high hopes for a Gold medal in the event.

His time also qualifies him for next year’s IAAF World Junior Championship.

Sri Lanka last won an Asian Junior 400m Gold in 2012 when Dulaj Madushanka won the 400m in Colombo. Pasindu Kodikara from Maliyadeva Boys College Kurunegala too excelled in the 400m clocking 47.79 seconds, and Sri Lanka also expects a medal in the 4x400m relay.

The junior pool consists of 28 athletes. They will undergo a residential training programme this weekend at Torrington Colombo and AASL is hoping to conduct such weekend training till the Asian Junior as they did in 2012, where Sri Lanka won six medals including two Gold medals.

The Asian Junior Athletics Championship will be held in Japan in June followed by IAAF World Junior in July in Finland. Apart from that Sri Lanka is also looking to host the South Asian Junior Athletics Championship which was postponed from May 2016.