Clean Podium Sweep For Coach Sajith at 46th NSF Marathon

By www.ceylonathletics.com | March 27, 2021 | Top Stories

Three athletes training under Coach Sajith Jayalal swept the podium at the 46th National Sports Festival Men’s Marathon held in Kataragama on Friday 26th.

31-year-old Muththusami Sivarajan, father of two from Pundaluoya won the Gold medal clocking 2 hours 29 minutes 29 seconds. Interestingly, this is the first time the Airman was competing in the National Sports Festival marathon. He had been a middle and long-distance runner for the better part of his athletics career before Jayalal turned him to be a marathoner.

Veteran marathoner Thissa Gunasekara finished second in 2 hours 32 minutes and 14 seconds, while Sarath Kumara finished third clocking 2 hours 33 minutes and 45 seconds.

Jayalal, who is also Director of the National Institute of Sports Science (NISS), who has already produced an Olympian athlete, had increased success during the 2020 National Athletics Championship with several athletes training under him winning Gold medals.

Jayalal reckons the freedom he to for focus on coaching instead of his job at NISS during the COVID-19 Pandemic was the reason for his increased success, and requested the authorities to release him at least every Friday of the week to focus on his training group, who undergo high altitude training in Boralanda. Jayalal is currently facing a difficult challenge of travelling back and forth to Boralanda during weekends while managing his job at NISS.

His training group has several National Championship athletes, including Asian Championship medallist Gayanthika Abeyrathne and Steeplechase runner Nilani Rathnayaka, who are the only Sri Lankan athletes in range for this year’s Olympic qualification.

Krishanthani wins Women’s marathon

Meanwhile,Velu Krishanthani hailing from Nuwara Eliya and training under Coach Jansz Dissanayaka, won the women’s marathon clocking 2 hours 55.10 seconds. Young marathoner Wathsala Herath finished second, just dipping under the 3-hour mark (2:57.15), while S.D. Liyanage finished third clocking 3 hours and 19 seconds.

This was the first marathon held in Sri Lanka in more 20 months.

Results

Men

Muththusami Sivarajan (CP) 2:29,29 sec

Thissa Gunasekara (WP) 2:32.14

Sarath Kumara (NWP) 2:33.45

Dilan Sandaruwan (WP) 2:35.28

Asela Bandara (CP) 2:35.44

N.S. Karunarathne (SGP) 238.10

Nisan Maduranga (NWP) 2:40.07

N.P. Sashen (WP) 2:40.27

Roshitha Bandara (NWP) 2:40.55