Seven-member team for World Junior Championship

Seven Sri Lankan Junior Athletes will take wing to Nairobi, Kenya tomorrow to compete in the World Athletics Junior Championship. The event which was postponed last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic will now be held from 17 to 22 August at the Nyayo Sports Complex.

The team includes four athletes who achieved qualification standards for the championship in individual events, as well as members for the 4x400m Mix relay team. Middle distance runner Shanika Lakshani from Holy Cross College Gampaha was the first to achieve qualification standard when she clocked 2 minutes 07.02 seconds in the 800m at the Senior Trials in April.

Medhani Jayamanne from Lumbini College Colombo, the junior sprinting sensation, achieved qualification standard in India in the 200m at the National Interstate Championship clocking personal best time of 24.08 seconds, and then clocked 11.85 seconds in the 100m to achieve the standard in the recently concluded junior trials.

Tharushi Karunarathne from A. Rathnayaka CC Walala, has qualified from 800m as She achieved qualification standard in the 800m clocking 2 minutes 07.21 seconds at the Junior trials. 400m runner Isuru Abeywardana from Ananda Sasthralaya Mathugama clocked 46.90 seconds in the 400m to achieve qualification standard.

Meanwhile, five years after World Athletics introduced mix 4x400m relay to the World stage, Sri Lanka is set to debut at the event at this Championship. Along with Isuru and Tharushi, Sayuri Mendis from Holy Cross College Gampaha and Ravindu Bandara of Wekada Maha Vidyalaya will feature in the 4x400m Mix relay, with 17-year-old Sithum Jayawardana of Sir John Kothalawa MV and Shanika making the relay squad.

Vice President of the AA, Jagath Gnanasiri Silva will be the Manager of the team, with former National Athlete and SAG Gold medalist Umanga Surendra, Danushka Munasinghe as coaches, and veteran coach Sunethra Karunanayake as Lady Chaperone. Dr. Dammika Senanayaka of Sports Medicine unit will be COVID Liaison Officer of the team. Team is training under strict health protocols these days with daily PCR and Rapid Antigen Tests.

 Athletes 

Boys – Isuru Abeywardana (400M , 4×400 Mix Relay), Ravindu Bandara(4x400M Mix Relay , Sithum Jayawardana (4x400M Mix Relay)

Girls – Medhani Jayamanne (100M , 200M ), Shanika Lakshani (800M) , Tharushi Karunarathne (800M, 4×400 Mix Relay) , Sayuri Mendis ( 4×400 Mix Relay )