Six SL Juniors Qualify for World Junior Championships
At the conclusion of the 102nd National Athletics Championship held at Diyagama, six talented Sri Lankan junior athletes secured qualification for the World Junior Athletics Championship 2023.
- Jathya Kirulu (400m Sprinter)
- Kirulu, representing Mahinda College Galle, achieved the qualifying standards by clocking sub-48 seconds twice in the 400 meters on day one.
- His impressive semi-final time was 47.33 seconds, and in the preliminary round, he recorded 47.31 seconds. The men’s 400 meters qualifying standard for the World Junior Championships is set at 47.65 seconds.
- Lesandu Arthavidu (High Jumper)
- Arthavidu cleared 2.13 meters, securing second place in the men’s high jump. The entry standard for high jump is also set at 2.13 meters.
- Indusara Vidushan (Sprinter)
- Vidushan shattered the National Junior record, clocking 21.14 seconds in the 200 meters. This achievement met the qualification standard of 21.35 seconds.
- Madushani Herath (Triple Jumper)
- Herath, representing Nannapurawa MV, further improved her performance by leaping 13.13 meters in the triple jump.
- The entry standard for the World event in triple jump is set at 12.9 meters. She had already achieved the qualification standard with 13.01m leap during Asian Junior Championship in last April.
- Merone Wijesinghe (100m Sprinter)
- Wijesinghe achieved the qualification standard of 10.55 seconds in the 100 meters clocking 10.54 seconds in the Asian Junior Championship earlier this year .
- During the ongoing National Championship, he even lowered his personal best to 10.52 seconds.
- Ayomal Akalanka (400m Hurdler)
- Akalanka clocked 52.84 seconds during the Asian Juniors, meeting the qualification standard of 53.20 seconds.
- In the 400m hurdles final of the 102nd Nationals , Akalanka achieved a remarkable personal best time of 51.42 seconds, improving by 1.42 seconds from his previous best.
The World Junior Athletics Championship 2023 will take place in Lima, Peru, from August 27th to 31st.
