Central Province athlete Lional Samarajeewa and Western Province long distance runner Geethani Rajasekara won the men’s and women’s titles respectively of the National Cross Country Championship conducted at Diyagama yesterday.
Samarajeewa turned tables on Tissa Gunasekara as he returned a time of 38 minutes and 19 seconds to finish some ten seconds ahead of the defending champion. Uva Province athlete Saman Kumara returned a time of 39 minutes and four seconds to finish third.
In the women’s eight kilometer race Rajasekara clocked 29 minutes and 05 seconds to win her second consecutive title. Gayanthika Abeyratne of Southern Province clocked 29 minutes and 42 seconds to finish second.
Sabaragamuwa Province athlete Chathurika Hemamali clocked 39 minutes and 04 seconds to finish third.
The National Cross Country championship is a major discipline of the National Sports Festival and is conducted by the Department of Sports Development of the Ministry of Sports. It is the second time the event was conducted at Diyagama.
