Manjula Kumara and Maduranga set new records at NSF opening day

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Category: athletics

Published on Friday, 09 September 2011 03:03

Written by Charit Tissera

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Two Sri Lankan athletes Manjula Kumara and Sajith Maduranga furnished the opening day of the National Sports Festival 2011 with much pride, as the duo established two new meet records, at Mahinda Rakapakse stadium in Diyagama yesterday (08).

Manjula Kumara, who marked a height of 2.20 metres yesterday, managed to improve his previous record height of 2.18 metres he had jumped last year.

Manjula Kumara, who is Sri Lanka’s Number one high jumper and the defending champion of the men’s high jump, was not a part of the contingent which represented the Asian Championship this year.

Manjula Kumara also had won the high jump event clearing a height of 2.24 metres at the 89th National Athletic Championship and was about to attempt the qualifying mark of 2.28 metres for the World Championship this year, when he was disrupted by the 400 metres finals that was worked off beside the track. As quoted by media, Chairman of the selection committee Dunstan Fernando had noted that Manjula Kumara had not qualified for the World athletic championship and Asian athletic championship.

However, with this new record, Manjula Kumara has inoffensively proven that the authorities and officials, along with the procedures used in selecting athletes for the concluded international events could be ambiguous!

Manjula, who started off at a height of 2.10 metres today, made his mark at 2.20 metres in his third attempt to reach the Gold medal of the event.

Meanwhile, Javelin thrower Sajith Maduranga renewed the previous record of 68.89 metres set by P. K. Aluwihare in 1999, as he threw 73.47 metres today at Diyagama.

Maduranga, hence defeated the defending champion Varuna Lakshan Dayaratne to win the men’s javelin throw at the event. Dayaratne had made a distance of 70.36 metres in his spell and secured the second place.

Maduranga currently represents Sri Lanka Army, and is being trained under Mr. A. J. Rodrigo.

Following are the results of the events that were worked off yesterday.

High Jump (Men)
1. Manjula Kumara (SP) – 2.20 m* (MNR)
2. M. Milan (WP) – 2.10 m
3. S. D. Peris (WP) – 2.07 m

Javelin Throw (men Final)
1. S. Maduranga (westron Province) -73.47 m (MNR)
2. W. L. Dayarathna (NWP) – 70.36 m
3. D. S. Ranasinghe (SP) – 67.43 m

Triple jump (Women Final)
1. R. Rubasinghe (SP) – 12.83 m
2. C. D. Priyadharshani (WP) – 12.68 m
3. M. B. Thilakarathna (NWP) – 12.27 m

10000 m (Men Final)
1. D. Samarajeewa (CP) – 31: 15.00 Sec
2. G. R. Saman Kumara (UP) – 31: 19.05 Sec
3. G. S. Kumara (CP) – 31.33.02 Sec

5000 m (Women Final)
1. T. A. Abeyrathna (SP) – 17 m 00.46 Sec
2. L. A. Nimali (Southern Province) – 17 m 17.60 Sec
3. D. A. Inoka (Central Province) – 17 m 46.29 Sec

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