Little Tharushi in a big show
Little runner from A. Rathnayaka CC Walala, Tharushi Karunarathne caught the attention of many during the major schools championship this year, where she ran like there’s no tomorrow; not even slowing down even when leading the race by a considerable distant and giving it all she had.
And during the All Island Schools Games which continued at the Sugathadasa Stadium , there was no difference and Tharushi grabbed her third gold medal with another meet record to win the 800m following the 400m and 4x400m relay wins during the meet earlier on.
Unlike other finals, in the under 16 girls 800m, Tharushi had to fight until the finish line to win the gold as she was running against Binadi Udayakumari of Sooriyawewa NC where Tharushi clocked 2 minutes 14.27 seconds, taking 7 seconds off the previous meet record of 2:21.29 seconds by Nethmi Nimsara set in 2017. Binadi too ran an amazing 2:15.19 but fell short of Tharushi’s heroics. Earlier she won the gold medal in the under 16 girls 400m clocking 56.54 seconds, the fastest female 400m time at the meet, clocking a better time than the under 18 and under 20 winners. In the 800m too it was no different as her time was the fastest of all. Despite individual heroics where each one ending in a spread arm emphatic fashion, it was her anchor leg in the 4x400m relay which caught the eyes of many; where even getting baton with more than a 50 m lead, she did not take it lightly and giving it her best to clock 3 minutes 56.77 seconds which was a new meet record and almost 16 seconds better than the silver medallists. Their time was also better than the under 20 winners while the under 18 finals is yet to be worked off.
Hailing from Ududumbara , the 15 year old has been influenced to take to athletics from a young age, and she is the younger sister of Asian Youth silver medallist from A. Rathnayaka CC Walala, Harsha Karunarathne. Schooled at Chulabaya CC earlier during when younger, she excelled in the 100m and long jump before joining A. Rathnayaka CC Walala where Susantha Fernando, the reputed Coach of Walala, who excelled when producing 400m and middle distance runners turned her in to the SL number one junior 400m and 800m runner by the age of 15.
“I have seen my brother run, and he tours different countries to compete and I was determined to take his path “ said Tharushi.
“She is a real gem who I could say is going to be one of the future stars in athletics, but we have to carefully nurture this athlete “said Coach Susantha Fernando.
Fernando added that unlike many athletes he had worked with before, Tharushi who lives in the school hostel is always determined in training and does not look to skip any of the session while she hates losing even during preparations.
Rumesh in double win
Thrower Rumesh Tharanga kept the Peterite flag flying high as he set new meet records in both the discus and javelin throw events in the boys under 18 category. Tharanga , the Asian Youth Championship participant threw 50.30m to set a new meet record in the discus throw while throwing 66.63m in the javelin, 2.87m behind the qualification mark for the World Junior Championship next year.
In other events of the day, T.G. Thennakoon of Ranabima Royal College Peradeniya clocked 1:52.06 seconds to set a new meet record in the boys under 18 800m while the little sprinter from Thanamalwila, Ravindi Wenurika excelled again in the short sprints.
Wenurika who set a new meet record in the under 12 girls 100m with 13.59 seconds, clocked 8.59 seconds to set a new meet record in the 60m heats. Finals will be worked off today.
St Peter’s College and A. Rathnayaka CC Walala took unchallenged leads for the overall boys and girls titles with one day to go in the meet where the Peterite led the boys tally with 111 points, 55 points more than the second placed, St Mary’s College Chilaw (56 ).
- Rathnayaka CC Walala led the girls tally with a staggering 179 points, 114 points more than second placed Sumana BV Rathnapura (65)
Meet records so far
Boys
Sithum Jayasundara (Sir John Kothalawela MV Kurunegala) U-16 400m – 48.73 sec
A .Puvitharan (Chavakachcheri Hindu College, Jaffna) Pole Vault U-20 – 4.82m
Rumesh Tharanga (St Peter’s College Colombo) Javelin Throw U-18 – 66.63m
Meshak Miloshi (Seventh Day Adventist High School) High Jump U-14 – 1.75m
M.D. Wijerathne (Dharmaraja College Kandy) 1500m U-18 – 4:01.5 sec
Ravindu Dilshan Bandara (Wekada MV Chilaw) U-18 400m – 47.53 sec
- Mithunraj (Hartley College –Jaffna) Shot Put U-18 – 15.95m
Shewan Abeysinghe (Lyceum Nugegoda) 100m U-12 – 13.26 seconds
Angelo Vidusha (St Benedict’s College Colombo) 80M Hurdles U-14 – 11.55 Seconds
Ara. Aiman (Bt/An-Noor M.V – Batti- Central) Shot Put U-14 – 15.03 Minute
B.A.N. Minsara (Marapola M.V Minuwangoda) Long Jump U-12 – 5.18 Minute
H.H.R.S. Jayasundara (Sir John Kothalawela M.V. – Kurunegala) 200M U-16 -22.16 Sec
Nadun K. Bandara (Royal College) 110m Hurdles U18 – 13.80 Sec
- Milinda Perera (St Mary’s Boys M.V. – Chilaw) 200M U-18 -21.83 Sec
T.G. Thennakoon (Ranabima Royal College-Peradeniya) 800m U18 -1:52.06 sec
Rumesh Tharanga (St Peter’s College Colombo) Discus Throw U-18 – 50.30M
Naveen Marasinghe (St Joseph’s College Colombo) Shot Put U-16 -16.20M
T.D. Rajanayake (Sagalapura KV Walapane) 60M U-12 8.43 sec
T.O.V. Ariyawansha (St Aloysius College Rathnapura) 300M Hurdles U-16 38.52 sec
Shewan Abeysinghe (Lyceum Nugegoda) 60m U-12 – 8.43 sec
Pasindu Malshan ((St Joseph’s College Colombo) Triple Jump 14.87M
St Peters College – Colombo 4x100m U-18 – 42.15 Sec
Sir John Kothalawela V – Kurunegala 4x400m U-16 3:27.57 Min
Girls
Nethra Samadhi (Vijitha CC Dikwella) High Jump U-12 – 1.41m
- Dadsitha (Chava Hindu College Jaffna) Pole Vault U-20 – 3.35m
M.I. Haanthi (A. Rathnayaka CC Walala) Javelin Throw U-18 – 47.77m
Sachini Samarasekara (St Bridget’s Convent Colombo) Shot Put U-14 – 10.34m
Tharushi Karunarathne (A. Rathnayaka CC Walala) 400m U-18 – 56.54 sec
Nethmini Nivarthana (Weeriyagama MV Hambantota) Long Jump U-14 – 5.29m
Ravidi Wenurika (Wijayapura KV Thanamalwila) 100m U-12 – 13.59 seconds
- G. S. D. Kahangama (R/Rt/ Sumana Balika Vidyalaya) 100 m Hurdles U-16-14.81 Sec
Sadeepa Henderson (Gateway College, Colombo) 200M U-18- 24.88 Sec
Heshani Maheshika (St Sebastian Vidyalaya, Kandana) Discus Throw U-18 – 37.55 Min
- Rathnayake M.M.V. Walala – Menikhinna 4x400m U-16 – 3:56.77 Min
Tharushi Karunarathne (A. Rathnayaka CC Walala) 800m U-18 – 2:14.27 sec
Ravidi Wenurika (Wijayapura KV Thanamalwila) 60M U-12 – 8.59 seconds
C.Theepika (Mahajana College ,Jaffna) Pole Vault U-18 -3.25M
