Wasanthi shines with Gold , Dilshi secured her second medal
Young distance runner from Kuliyapitiya, Parami Wasanthi Marisstella who is just turned 17 years this year produced the second Gold medal for SL while Dilshi Kumarasinghe clinched the 800m Bronze medal at the Asian Junior Athletic Championship 2018 continued at Gifu Japan .
Along with this performance Sri Lanka has now won six medals (2 Golds, three Silvers and a Bronze) to equal their best haul in history with five more events left today.
Wasanthi from Kuliyapitiya CC was the youngest in the race and is eligible to compete at the 2020 Asian Junior Championship even so she had no problem of winning the 3000 m steeple chase Gold medal by a reasonable margin as she clocked a personal best of 10 minutes 21. 54 seconds, almost 7 seconds ahead of Silver medalist Wanhua Tian of China (10:28.24 seconds).
This young athlete also represented Sri Lanka at Rugby (National under 16 women’s team). Training under Coach Janitha Jayasinghe, Wasanthi likes to lead the race from the beginning, for the first time in her life, Wasanthi judged the race well running with the bunch until last two rounds when she took off to seal the Gold medal in emphatic fashion.
Dilshi wins second medal
Dilshi Kumarasinghe, the 400m silver medalist form A. Rathnayake CC Walala secured her second medal in the Championship winning bronze medal in the 800m with an impressive personal best of 2 minutes 04.53 seconds. Athlete trains under Coach Susantha Fernando, who is also the manager on the tour, could not podium in the last edition of AJAC in 2016. This year it seemed she was fighting for Gold medal up to the last 100m from the silver medal position but Japanese Ayano Shiomi (2:04.50 seconds) cruised through to win silver while another Japanese athlete, Ayaka Kawata won Gold with 2:04.14 seconds
Harsha fumble and lost possible Gold
Middle distance runner from A. Rathnayaka CC Walala only had himself to blame for his poor tactics that saw him getting knocked out from the 800M heat losing a possible gold for SL in the event. Coming off a good performance of 1 minute 51.97 seconds and the South Asian Junior Gold medal, Harsha was a prime medal hope for Sri Lanka. But, after taking an early lead in the heats, Harsha slowed down unnecessarily where his late surge only helped him finish third and his time was 1 minute 55 .06 seconds which did not help him advance to the finals. The Gold medallist in finals, Anu Kumar of India won it on a time of just 1 minute 54. 11 seconds.
Ridma Disappoints
Long Jumper Ridma Nishadhi Abeyrathne could not perform at least close to her best as she finished fifth with a best leap of 5.75m. The Athlete who had a personal best of 6.08m and seasonal best of 6.03m was another of medal hopes of SL but failed to live up to expectations just like at the South Asian Juniors where she finished second. The bronze medal of the competition was won in a leap of 5.92m by Mirei Yoshioka of Japan. Ayaka Kora of Japan (6.44m ) and Jiawei Zhong of China (also 6.44m) finished first and second respectively.
In other events of the day sprinter Amasha de Silva who won the 100m silver finished third in the 200m heats and advanced to the finals by clocking 24.76 seconds. Pasindu Kodikara the 400m Silver medalist finished fourth in the 400m hurdle heats clocking 53.35 seconds and advanced to the finals.
Both Amasha and Marisstella achieved IAAF World Junior qualification but Marisstella will focus on the Youth Olympic qualification rather than the World Juniors as both events are to be held in the same month.
Earlier on Friday 400m runner Aruna Darshana won Gold with a new meet record of 45.79 seconds while Pasindu Kodikara (400m), Dilshi Kumarasinghe (400m) and Amasha de Silva (100m) won Silver medals.
Sunday Schedule
10.05am – 400m hurdle Final (Pasindu Kodikara)
10.15 am- High Jump Final (Tharindu Dasun)
10.30am – 200m Women Final (Amasha de Silva)
12.55pm – 4x400m Women Final
01.10pm – 4x400m Men final
