Gayanthika, Nilani, Sarangi in contention for Asian Games glory

Olympian Sumeda Ranasinghe stamped his class in the men’s javelin throw, sprinters Kalinga Kumarage and Aruna Dharshana clocked sub 46 seconds in the 400 metres, school girls dominated women’s 400 metres and high jump and Chamal Kumarasiri established a meet record as the centenary National Athletics Championship concluded at Diyagama on Saturday.

Ranasinghe, who achieved qualifying standards for the Asian Games at last month’s trial, proved that he is in ideal shape for the quadrennial event with a massive 82.18 metres throw to regain the title he lost to Waruna Dayaratne at the last National Championship. He had one other throw which landed at least two metres beyond the winning mark but it was judged illegal.

Ranasinghe was adjudged the best athlete in the men’s category for his 82.18 metres throw which is the second best throw in Asia this year. Apart from Ranasinghe, US based high jumper Ushan Thivanka is the only other athlete to have achieved the locally set qualifying standards for the Asian Games.

Steeplechase athlete Nilani Ratnayake won the best athlete title of the meet for her outstanding feat in the 3,000 metres steeplechase, which was held on April 9.

Sri Lanka Athletics conducted 12 postponed disciplines of the centenary National Championship on Saturday. The events which were to be held on April 10 had to be postponed due to rain. The National Championship is also considered as the final selection trial for both the Asian Games and the Commonwealth Games.

In the men’s category, Chamal Kumarasiri produced an outstanding feat clearing a distance of 16.40 metres to win the men’s triple jump. He broke the 2012 record (16.37m) held by Eranga Dinesh Fernando.

In the men’s 400 metres Kalinga Kumarage clocked 45.88 seconds to win the gold, while Aruna Dharshan who settled for silver also produced sub 46 seconds (45.90). They were just short of the Asian Games qualifying standard (45.70 secs) but proved strong enough to form a formidable quartet for the 4×400 metres relay alongside Isuru Lakshan and Pabasara Niku who finished third and fourth respectively.

The women’s 400 metres saw school girls Tharushi Karunaratne (53.85 secs) and Jayeshi Uththara (54.14 secs) turn tables on defending champion Nadeesha Ramanayake to win the gold and silver respectively. The Asian Games aspirant Ramanayake finished third in a time of 54.29 seconds. She had clocked sub 54 seconds in the heats.

The women’s high jump gold and silver were won by school girls I.M. Fernando and Ranindi Gamage who both cleared 1.68 metres.

The men’s and women’s 100 metres titles were won by Chamod Yodhasinghe (10.50 secs) and Amasha de Silva (11.69 secs). In the women’s 100 metres the first four, namely de Silva, Rumeshika Ratnayake (11.87 secs), Shelinda Jansen (11.93 secs) and Medhani Jayamanne ( 11.97 secs) clocked sub 12 seconds.

Dilhani Lekamge (women’s javelin throw – 55.03m), Randi Cooray (women’s triple jump – 12.89m), Kumudumali Fernando (women’s shot put -13.28m) D.H. Kumara (men’s 1,500 metres – 3:48.34 secs) and I.U. Kumara (men’s high jump 2.15m) were the winners of the other events.

(By Reemus Fernando /The Island)