Four juniors to the next stage at Asian Youth Champs

Four out of the five Sri Lankan junior athletes who competed today (15th) in the opening day of the 3rd Asian Youth Athletic Championship 2019, managed to qualify for the second stage of their respective events.

Sri Lanka is fielding a team of 13 athletes for the biennial regional competition which will be held over three days from 15th to the 17th of March in Hong Kong. With skies opening up in the morning, events were held in wet conditions.

Team Sri Lanka for Asian Youth Athletics Championship 2019

A team of 13 athletes will take wing to …..

Sadeepa Henderson of Gateway College, Rajagiriya was the first Sri Lankan athlete to compete in the championship competing in the 1st heat of the Women’s 100m.Sadeepa did not have the ideal start off the blocks but managed to compensate in the second half of the race and finished fourth, clocking a time of 12.38secs. Being the first Sri Lankan athlete to compete and also having to race in wet and cold conditions would have definitely affected Sadeepa who has a personal best time of 12.26secs in the 100m. Despite not making the cut as an automatic qualifier, Sadeepa made it in as one of the fastest losers and will compete in the Women’s 100m Semifinal which is scheduled to be held at 12.25pm (SL time) tomorrow (16th March).

Upcoming Sprinter Shemal Milinda Perera of St. Mary’s College Chilaw was the next Sri Lankan athlete to take the field competing in Heat 3 of the Men’s 100m. Shemal was impressive in the heat despite a slow start, as he managed to win with a convincing performance, clocking 10.90secs.  Shemal will be competing in the Men’s 100m Semifinal which is scheduled to be held at 12.25pm (SL time) tomorrow (16th March).

Kavindi Sanjana of Janadipathi BV, Nawala competed in heat 1 of the women’s 400m and was placed fifth in the race, clocking a disappointing time of 59.17secs. Kavindi who has a personal best time of 56.88secs was not in her usual stride and seemed to be out of sorts during the heat but was fortunate to go through to the Finals as one of the fastest losers.  She will compete in the final which will be held at 1.16pm (SL time) tomorrow.

The men’s 400m preliminary competitions saw two young Sri Lankan quarter milers taking the field in Isuru Abeywardhana of Ananda Shasthralaya, Matugama and Navishka Sandeesh of St Sebastian’s College, Moratuwa. Isuru competed in the first heat of the Men’s 400m and failed to impress as he faded out in the home straight of the competition, finishing the heat placed 5th and would most likely miss out on a spot in the final.

Navishka Sandeesh competed in the second heat of the competition and unlike his fellow statesman managed to race to victory in the heat. Despite a very slow start in the opening half of the race where he was left behind by the pack of athletes who set the pace of the race, Navishka displayed terrific determination and composure to come from behind and take the win in the final 100m. Navishka secured his spot in the Men’s 400m final which will be held at 1.25pm (SL time) tomorrow (16th March)

Seven Sri Lankan athletes will compete tomorrow which is the second day of the competition.