The sixteen-year-old middle-distance runner, G. D. Lahiru Achintha of St. Allocious College, Rathnapura, came up with a stunning performance at the athletics meet of the 3rd Asian Youth Games 2025 (in Bahrain) to clinch Sri Lanka’s first-ever Asian Youth Games gold medal in the Boys’ 1500m event. Just before that, Nethmi S. Gimhani Pulle kept Sri Lanka’s flag flying high by winning Sri Lanka’s first medal at the competition.
Achintha started the race with a sprint and achieved a lead of 10 m – 15 m, just like in short-distance races, by leaving a question in the spectators’ minds. Later, Luhiu Sha of China, who had won the silver medal, chased him and competed alongside him. The power and stamina of Achintha mattered the most to run an explosive and extravagant final lap to clinch a historic gold with a considerable lead. Though Achintha’s impressive run gave a top honour to the country, he fell short of four seconds from his career-best performance, which was clocked a month ago.
Last April, he won a bronze in the Boys’ 1500m at the 6th Asian U-18 Athletics Championship in Saudi Arabia with a time of 3:59.47. A month ago, Achintha shattered an 11-year-old record in the Under-18 boys’ 3000m at the 93rd Sir John Tarbat Senior Athletic Championship 2025 by clocking 8:44.18. In the same meet, Achintha managed to set a new competition record at the Under 18 1500m event with a time of 3:53.05 minutes.
Nethmi Sandeepa Gimhani Pulle of St. Andrew’s College, Puttalam, was the first Sri Lankan player to clinch a medal at the Asian Youth Championship 2025. She also had a tremendous run by challenging the top-notch youth talents in Asia, and she clocked 4 minutes 52.32 seconds to secure the bronze medal. Nazmina Rakhimjonova of Uzbekistan (4 minutes 51.20 seconds) and Viktoriya Melanikova of Kazakhstan (4 minutes 51.61 seconds) won the gold and silver medals, respectively.
In the other events, Kisal Oshanda of Godakawela Kularatne MV won 2nd place in the 110m hurdles event (Round 1) with a timing of 14.01 seconds and was selected for the finals, uplifting the medal hopes of the island nation. Earlier in the day, he won second place at the heats of the same event.
In the Girls’ 100m Hurdles preliminary round, Dewmi Chamalsha of Welimada Central College placed 6th with a timing of 14.96 seconds.
In the semifinals of the Girls’ 100m race, Tharani Nirmina of Holy Cross College, Gampaha, placed 7th with a timing of 12.37 seconds. In the heats of the same event, Tharani placed second to secure her position in the semifinals.
Another Sri Lankan medal hope shattered as Savindu Sudharaka of Kahawatta Central College placed 4th at the finals of the Boys Triple Jump final. Savindu managed to clear a good distance of 14.16 metres, but unluckily a medal finish slipped out of his hands.
In the preliminary round race of the Girls 400m, local athlete Chenadi Dewhara placed 6th by clocking 59.92 seconds.
Asian medal prospect Shanuka Costa managed to display a stunning run by clinching 1st place at the preliminary round of the Boys 400m race, and he secured his place in the final.
At the end of the 1st day’s proceedings, Sri Lanka is at the 10th position of the medal table with a gold and a bronze, while the Asian giant China leads the table with 07 gold, 10 silver and one bronze medals. They are closely followed by Thailand and Uzbekistan.
 to clinch Sri Lanka’s first-ever Asian Youth Games gold medal in the Boys’ 1500m event. Just before that, Nethmi S. Gimhani Pulle kept Sri Lanka’s flag flying high by winning Sri Lanka’s first medal at the competition.){kind=link}