School girl Vidusha Lakshani stood out with a new Sri Lanka record as top athletes, vying for Asian Athletics Championships berths, battled wet weather conditions to impress on day one of the Selection Trial held at the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Stadium, Diyagama on Sunday.
The Newstead Girls’ School, Negombo jumper, Lakshani, established a new Sri Lanka record in the women’s triple jump. The 18-year-old cleared a distance of 13.22 metres to improve the previous mark by some seven centimeters.
She broke the record held by N. C. D. Priyadharshani (13.15m).
In an upset, Suranjaya de Silva turned tables on national champion Mohamed Rajaskhan to win the men’s 200 metres. Silva clocked 21.22 seconds, while Rajaskhan returned a time of 21.25 seconds.
National record holder Nadeeka Lakmali, now training under a new coach cleared a distance of 56.69 metres to win the women’s javelin throw.
The athletes had to work hard during the entire day as wet weather conditions hampered the first day.
