The third day of the 6th Asian Youth Athletics Championship unfolded yesterday, on April 17th, with high energy and fierce competition lighting up the track. While Team Sri Lanka did not secure any medals on this particular day, the athletes showcased determination, skill, and resilience, continuing to make a strong impression on the Asian youth athletics stage.
One of the key highlights of this day came from the boys’ 400m hurdles final, where Savindu Nimasha Dias delivered a commendable performance. He clocked an impressive timing of 54.03 seconds and secured 5th place among a competitive lineup of young athletes.
Consquently, in the same event for girls, Sansala Himashani unfortunately experienced a fall during her race, which hindered her progress. Despite the setback, she recovered, showing courage and perseverance in completing the event in 1:08.69 minutes, finishing in 8th place.
Earlier in the competition, Dhananjana Sewmini, who had already claimed a silver medal in the 100m sprint, continued her strong run by advancing to the finals in the girls’ 200m. She finished second in her preliminary heat with an impressive time of 24.42 seconds, securing a spot in the final showdown. We await in anticipation for the final showdown of this race.
On the other hand, Imesh Silva on the boys’ side also advanced to the finals of the 200m event. His semi-final time of 21.76 seconds earned him 4th place in his heat and a well-deserved qualification for the finals.
Further, In the boys’ 800m preliminary heats, Sasindu Avishka recorded a time of 1:55.82 minutes, which was enough to take him through to the final. However, his teammate Rehan Perera narrowly missed out on a place in the finals.
However, in the relays, our Medley Relay team — consisting of Sandaruwan Silva, Imesh Silva, Shanuka Costa and I.M. Bogoda, also brought Sri Lanka pride by qualifying for the finals. They completed the race in 1.54.43 minutes, marking another significant milestone for the young squad. This is, no doubt, set to be an exciting final.
Looking ahead to today (April 18), several Sri Lankan athletes are set to compete in more events, aiming to climb the podium and make their country proud. ThePapare will continue to bring you up-close coverage of their performances, keeping you updated with every stride, sprint, and success.
Stay tuned to ThePapare – Sri Lanka’s No.1 Sports Channel – for more updates from the Asian Youth Athletics Championship 2025.
