Santhush returns with record breaking win
Sprinter Santhush Weerasinghe made an applaudable return to athletics after an injury ridden year, to win the boys Under 20 200m final at the 20th International School Athletic Championship (ISAC) 2020, with a new meet record at the Sugathadasa Stadium .
The former Benedictine sprinter, now representing Lyceum International School Wattala, clocked 21.80 seconds to win the event with late surge where he showcased his return back to form he was in two years ago, when he finished 14th in the world during the IAAF World Youth Championship back in 2018. He also finished 4th in the 2017 Asian Youth Championship.
Meanwhile, Gateway College’s sprint sensation Shelinda Jansen did not have the ideal season opener as she was challenged to the wire by South Asian Games’ relay gold medalist Sadeepa Henderson, as both athletes finished with identical times of 24.6 seconds, Shelinda managed to win the girl’s under 20 200m finals. It was Shelinda’s signature start which did the trick for her win, as she took an early lead where Sadeepa made a late surge, trying to bridge the gap down but could not really go to the line ahead of Shelinda.
Shelinda, who missed out from the South Asian Games following an injury, during the selection trials last year, was in prime form, since her Youth Olympic heroics, and both Jansen and Henderson will be eyeing to make the team for the forthcoming Asian Junior and World Junior Championships.
Meanwhile, Pasindu Gunawardena and Binitha Chandrasena of Gateway College, Colombo, established new meet records in the U-18 200M (21.80Sec) and U-20 High Jump (2.01m) respectively. Sandun Kumara of Lyceum International School, Wattala, also established a New Meet Record (15.44m) in the boys U-20 Triple Jump
