Soldier, Dilip Ruwan rose to the occasion turning the tables on many favourites to become the brand new 400m National champion with a personal best 47:10 seconds at the 93rd National Athletics Championship continued at Diyagama yesterday.
Coming into the final, Dilip Ruwan who had never won a National level title before, was clearly not the favourite among sprinters such as Kasun Kalhara, Kalinga Kumarage and Chanaka Jayasekera. But it was Dilip, who trains under coach Maduka Marasinghe, who had the final laugh at the finishing line.
Ruwan (24) joined the Army as a regular soldier and was a late bloomer in athletics, came to the limelight finishing third at the last National trials in May, and he represented Sri Lanka at the 21st Asian Championship in the 4x400m relay and continued to impress from there on.
Schoolgirl, Vidusha Lakshani continued her record breaking streak as she set a new meet record with a 13.30m jump to win the women’s triple jump, completing the jumps double together with her long jump win on Friday.
Geethani Rajasekara missed the national record in the 5000m by just 2.94 seconds when she clocked 16 minutes 24.12 seconds in the event to complete the distance double following her 10,000m triumph on Friday.
Meanwhile, Anoma Karunawansha set the second Sri Lanka record of the meet as she eclipsed her own record (3:32m) with 3:33m performance in the pole vault women’s final.
Sprinter, Himasha Eashan again emerged National champion in the men’s 100m with a time of 10.49 seconds. He clocked a better time (10:47 seconds) in the semi-finals on Friday. Eashan soon returned to win a 21.87 seconds heat in the 200m in a relaxed run indicating a possible sprint double for him at the Nationals today.
Chandrika Rasnayake returned a sub 54 seconds with a season’s best, 53.79 seconds performance to win the women’s 400m.
Eranga Dulakshi, lost her National record in the 3000m steeple chase on Friday. She returned to the 1500m and took her revenge beating Nilani Rathnayake who broke her 3000m steeple chase record.
Army’s MS Pushpakumara just missed the long standing Sri Lanka record in the 3000m steeple chase men by 2.84 seconds as he clocked 8 minutes 57.91 seconds to win the event.
Nadeeka Lakmali missed her last opportunity to qualify for the World Championship when she threw only 57.47m in the event to emerge National champion.
Overall performance in many of the events was poor for the National Championship, where women’s 100m final was won by NCD Priyadarshani in 12.30 seconds confirming the absence of school girl Rumesha Rathnayake, meaning there are no female sprinters to go under 12 seconds in the event. Former champion Jani Chathurangani finished in a disappointing 6th position.
High jump women’s event was won by DK Ranasinghe with a 1:68m performance, which was below the normal school standard.
Men
10000M: 1. Lionel Samarajeewa 30:51.85 sec, 2. G.N. Bandara 30:52.58 sec, 3. B.U. Wijitha Kumara 31:08.52
Shot Put: 1. Joy Dhanushka Perera 14:68m, 2. Samith Jayawardana 14:15m, 3. PH Battage 14:13m
100m: 1. Himasha Eashan 10.49 sec, 2. Mohommad Ashroff 10:58 sec, 3. Shehan Ambepitiya 10:66 sec
1500m: 1. C.S. Somawardana 3:51.27 sec, 2. S.K. Fernando 3:53.85 sec, 3. G.A. Nishanka 3:54.18sec
400m: 1. Dilip Rowan 47:10 sec, Kasun Kalhara Senevirathne 47:35 sec, 3. Kalinga Kumarage 47:43 sec
Triple Jump: 1. SS Jayasinghe 16:00m, 2. Atheetha Karunasinghe 15:87m, 3. Eranda Fernando 15:87m
Hammer Throw: 1. A.D. Elansan 44:97m, 2. K. Nilantha 43.64m, 3. S.J. Abeywardana 43.38m
3000m St. Chase : 1. M.S. Pushpakumara 8:57.91 sec, 2. G.J. Wijenayaka 9:00.40 sec, Sanjeewa Lakmal 9:07.95 sec
Women
Pole Vault: 1. Anoma Karunawansha 3:33m (New Sri Lanka Record), 2. S.D. Ranasinghe 3:20m, 3. M.N.P. Silva 3:10m
Triple Jump: 1. Vidusha Lakshani 13:30m (NMR), 2. A.S. Dulanjani 12:33m, 3. Pooja Divyangani 12:06m
100m: 1. N.C.D Priyadarshani 12:30 sec, 2. TS Karunathilaka 12:39 sec, 3. Nadeeshani Waragoda 12:43 sec
1500m: 1. Eranga Dulakshi 4:22.78 sec, 2. Nilani Rathnayake 4:27.90 sec, 3. D.R. Amarasinghe 4:43.38 sec
400m: 1. Chandrika Rasnayake 53.79 sec, 2. W.M. Karunathilaka 55:02 sec, 3. Geethani Pathmakumari 55:45 sec
Javelin Throw: 1. Nadeeka Lakmali 57:47m, 2. Dilhani Lekamge 52:40m, 3. Anne Maheshi Silva 51:60m
High Jump: 1. D.K. Ranasinghe 1:68m, 2. Tharanga Vinodhani 1:68m, 3. Nimesha Siriwardene 1:65m
Shot Put : 1. Tharika Fernando 14:14m, 2. N.D. Muthunayaka 13:52m, 3. P.D. Clarence 11:90m
5000m : 1. Niluka Geethani Rajasekara 16:24.12 sec, 2. S.A. Lamahewage 16:54.03 sec, 3. N.L. Ariyadasa 17:46.30 sec
