The International School`s Athletic Championships 2015 commenced today at the Sugathadasa Stadium. The meet will be held for three days until the 01st of March 2015 where 25 International Schools will compete for supremacy.
The early morning shower delayed the proceedings for about one and a half hours but the day wrapped quite successfully with athletes of Lyceum International School Wattala earning 24 medals by end of day 01.
Lyceum International School earned 10 gold medals, 11 Silver medals and 3 Bronze medals which added up to a total of 24 medals. Chithara Wickermasinghe earned the maiden gold for her college by winning the under 13 – 200m girls event early in the day. The youngsters having a fine day in the field; Yonal De Silva won the under-09 boys Long jump event with a distance of 3.38m while Shilpa Fernando won the Shot Putt (4kg) under-19 girl`s event with a distance of 10.20m.
Lyceum International School – Wattala won almost all the field events that were held during the day which was the key factor for their number one position. While some of them finished off the field events in the first place the rest of the team ended off the track events coming second and third positions respectively which bought them a tactical advantage over the rest of the schools in leading the medal tally.
Gateway College trailed behind the Lycemunites in the medal tally with 4 gold medals, 6 Silver medals and 3 bronze medals which added up to a total number of 13 medals. The 4 gold medals were divided among Sadeepa Henderson who won the under-15 200m girls event while Natalie Malpana recorded a time of 26.53 and won the under-17 200m girls event. The other two gold medals were drawn under the names of Asiri Wijesekara who clocked 22.08 in the under-17 200m boys event while his fellow mate Shanika Fernando clocked 27.59 in the under 19 200m event.
While the Wattala lads topped the medal tally, their siblings the Lycuem International School – Nugegoda ended up in third place with a total number of 12 medals. They earned themselves 2 gold medals and 10 bronze medals during the day. Anajali Ranaweera won the maiden gold medal by winning the Discus throw (1kg) – under-17 girl’s event with a distance of 23.94m while Rahul Samaranayake won the Shot Putt (6kg) – under-19 boy’s event with a distance of 12.03m. The rest of the ten bronze medals were divided equally among both track& field events.
While the top three slots were sorted as such Lyceum International Panadura ended up in the fourth place with 6 medals and which included 4 gold medals and 3 bronze medals while OKI International School shared the place also with 6 medals which included a single gold medal, 2 silver medals and 3 bronze medals.
Colombo athletes failing to dominate day one has let the competition wide open as the main track events such as 400m, hurdles and relays happening on the second day of the championship. Lyceum Wattala with a lead of double figures it will be will breathe calmly while the rest of the contenders fight for preeminence.
