Jaffna’s athletes secured two gold medals out of seven finals while two new meet records were established in the 400m hurdles on the opening day of All Island School Games 2013 at the Sugathadasa Stadium yesterday.
Asian Youth Games bronze medalist Anuradha Vidushanka of St. Mary’s College Kegalle ran 54.43 seconds in the 400m hurdles for boys under-17 in the heats to erase the previous record set by Lahiru Prasanjith of Horana Taxila College in 2010 which was 55.61 seconds.
Subani Abeyaratne of St. Joseph’s Girls School Kegalle established the second record of the day also in the 400m hurdles event which was for girls in the under-17 category.
She ran 1 minute 05.50 seconds to erase the previous record set by Kumari Weerasinghe of A.Ratnayake Central College Walala last year which stood at 1:07.63 seconds.
Rathnasingham Nimalendra from Uduppiddy American Missionary College Jaffna won the first gold medal of the meet in the boys’ under-21 which was in the Shot Putt. He threw 13.60m for the medal.
Jaffna also reigned in the pole vault as Tavaradnam Dansikka of Mahajana College Tellipalai won the under-19 event with a 2.60m performance.
The tallest woman in the high jump, 16-year old Purnima Jayamali won the gold medal in the under-17 girls’ event with a 1.61m performance.
The six-foot Jayamali of Leeds International School, Panadura has a personal best of 1.70m at the age of 16 and trains under coach Nimal Dharmaratne.
Today is the second day of the championship where 34 finals are scheduled to be worked off including the 200m, 800m and 400m hurdles finals.
Results:
Discuss throw boys under-17:
1. Amrin Seiyadu (Sussex International school Ratnapura) 52.82m, 2. Malinda Madushanka (St. Rita’s College, Thaldeka) 51.98m, 3. Saleen Hasalanka (Seventh Day Adventist National school Wattala) 50.42m
Javelin Throw under-19 boys:
1. Ashen Fernando (Joseph Vaz College Wennappuwa) 61.31m, 2. D.K.Dayaratne (Makulpotha MV) 57.57m, 3. Chetaka Wijegunasinghe (Royal College) 55.95m
Shot Putt under-21 boys:
1. Rathnasingham Nimalendra (Uduppiddy College Jaffna) 13.60m, 2.R.S.Jayawardena (St. Benedict’s College, Kotahena) 12.91m, 3. Ashan Sugana Kumar (St. Benedict’s College, Kotahena) 12.03m
Long Jump under-15 girls:
1. Ridmi Nishadi (Dharmasoka College Ambalangoda) 5.33m, 2. T.P.Rupasinghe (Seevali Central College Ratnapura) 5.09m, 3. Nuwanjala Maduwanthi (Dankotuwa Girls School) 5.05m
High Jump girls’ under-17:
1. Purnima Gunarathne (Leeds International School-Panadura) 1.61m, 2. Ranela Cooray (Ladies College Colombo), 3. Sandali Ranasinghe (Visakha Vidyalaya) 1.57m
Pole Vault girls’ under-19:
1. Tavaradnam Dansikka (Mahajana College Tellippalai) 2.60m, 2.C.K.Kodithuwakku (Ambatanne MV) 2.50m, 3. K.Dilaxshana (Arunodaya College) 2.50m
Long Jump under-21 girls:
1. Hansika Fernando (Senanayake Central College) 4.99m, 2. A.I.Nilaweera (St. Marys’ Convent Matara) 4.93m, 3. Nadeesha Madubashini (Welimada MV) 4.86m
