Sri Lanka Seal Three Gold Medals on Day 1

Sri Lanka sealed three gold medals on the opening day of the SAFF Junior Athletics Championship 2024, which commenced yesterday in Chennai, India.

Anandian sprinter Merone Wijesinghe became the fastest junior in South Asia as he shattered the meet record, clocking 10.41 seconds to win the 100m gold medal. He also erased the Sri Lanka Junior record set by Shehan Ambepitiya (10.43). Induwara Weerarathne of Leeds College Matara finished second, bettering the previous meet record with 10.49 seconds. This marks the first instance where two Sri Lankan juniors ran below 10.5 seconds in one race.

Sixteen-year-old girls Tharushi Abisheka from Gampola Wickramabahu NS and Sansala Himashani of Ambagamuwa CC won the gold and bronze medals, respectively, against the Asian junior champion with timings of 2:10.17 and 2:12.12 (PB).

“I beat Asian Junior Silver medalist Laxita Sandilea here to win the gold medal, so I’m very happy,” said Tharushi after the race.

Sixteen-year-old Savindu Avishka of Naththandiya Dammissara National School shocked the stadium by erasing 5 seconds from his PB to win the gold medal with a new championship record of 1:49.82. He has three more years to compete in junior races. Avishka’s 1:49 is the leading time in Sri Lanka for 2024. Avishka’s 1:49.82 ranks 15th in the World U18 rankings and 4th among those born in 2008. He beat India’s Vinod Kumar (1:50.07) and Bopanna Klappa (1:50.45).

Sri Lanka won two silver medals in the high jump as Kashmika Timeshi and Nethra Samadhi both cleared 1.65m. India’s Pooja won the gold medal with a new meet record of 1.80m.

In the shot put, Jayavi Rahindha won the bronze medal with a throw of 15.62m.

In the women’s 100m, Gateway College sprinter Shenella Karunarathna won the bronze medal, clocking a personal best of 12.04 seconds. Another Gateway sprinter, Dhanani Kodituwattku, achieved a PB time of 12.12 seconds and placed 4th.