Dashing Navishka wins Asian Youth Silver in 400M (VIDEO)
Quarter miler Navishka Sandeesh of St.Sebastian’s college Moratuw dazzled the arena with a personal best, winning a Silver medal in the 3rd Asian Youth Athletics Championship in Hong Kong on Saturday .
Competing in the Boys’ 400m finals from lane five, Navishka brought out his customary fast finish when he ran neck and neck in the last few meters with Gold medalist Abdul Razak of India, almost but not quite passing him to reach the tape first. The 17 year old schoolboy from St. Sebastian’s College Moratuwa clocked 48.26 seconds, his personal best during the finals.
Sandeesh had not clocked a sub 49 seconds time in an event prior to the Asian Youth Championship, and went to it as Sri Lanka’s second favourite 400m runner behind Isuru Abeyawardena. But in Hong Kong he improved his personal best twice during the heats as well as in the finals to clinch Sri Lanka’s first medal in the championship.
The son of a carpenter, Navishka Sandeesh had not been particularly noteworthy in the local athletics arena prior to this year and the benefit of being trained by coach Jayashantha Fernando: following which he rose to the occasion perfectly to win the medal with a stellar performance.
During the morning Milinda Perera and Sadeepa Henderson finished third in the Boys’ and Girls’ 200m heats respectively and advanced to Sunday’s finals. Disappointingly, neither Sadeepa nor Milinda could advance to the 100m finals.
400m hurdler Amesha Hettiarachchi finished second in the heats and advanced to the finals as well, keeping alive SL’s medal hopes.
Team captain Shanika Lakshani had tough competition from India and China and all three athletes went below the Championship record during their two 800m heats. Nevertheless, Lakshani finished third in the second heat and advanced to the Sunday finals.
Long Jumper Hirusha Hashen was troubled as his previously marked jumping spot went missing, and ultimately could not even clear the distance of 7m. High Jumper Roshen Dulmin only cleared 1.94m , 6 cm behind his personal best of 2.00m which he leaped during the trials. Rumesh Tharanga only threw 48.82m and finished 9th in the event .
Today will be the last day of the Championship.
Sunday (16th) Schedule
7.40 am – Girls’ High Jump Finals – Ishara Pallegama
7.50 am – 400m Hurdles Finals – Amesha Hettiarachchi
8.30 am – Girls’ 800m Finals – Shanika Lakshani
9.35 am – Javelin Throw Finals – Rumesh Tharanga
10.15 am – Girls’ 200m Finals – Sadeepa Henderson
10.23 am – Boys’ 200m Finals – Milinda Perera
11.35 am – Girls’ Medley Relay Finals
11.45 am – Boys’ Medley Relay Finals
