The second day of the All Island School Games Athletic Championship concluded today (2nd) with 100m finals of Under 16,18 and 20 age groups taking center stage.
Eleven new meet records were established during the day increasing the total number of meet records to seven with three records being established on the opening day. The 100m sprint finals provided some epic match ups where new champions were crowned.
5 new meet records in the 100m sprints
In a thriller and arguably the pick of the 100m events, Peterite Hirusha Hashen, who won 5 Gold Medals at the Senior Tarbet and was the favourite to clinch the U 16 100m top spot was stunned by Rasni Ahamad of Al Irshan MMV Polgahawela who out ran the Peterite to win the top spot clocking 11.16sec with a new meet record. Risni bettered the previous record of 11.24sec by Benedictine Shehan Rajapakshe in 2014. Hirusha Hashen had to be satisfied with a second-place finish despite bettering the previous record clocking 11.18secs. S Malewana of Mahinda College Galle was placed third clocking 11.34sec.
Read More: PM opens the All Island Athletic Championship
In the U 16 Girl’s Dinara Bandara Dala of Alethea International Dehiwala clocked 12.65secs to better the previous meet record of 12.67secs jointly held by Akshana Maralanda and Sadeepa Henderson. Dilhara Rodrigo of Yashodara BV, Colombo was placed second clocking 12.95secs was placed second while Binadhi Gunawardana of Holy Family Convent, Bambalapitiya was placed third clocking 13.09secs.
With the absence of the Under 18 100m Champion Shelinda Janson, who flew out yesterday to participate in the Youth Olympic Games, Chelsea Melani Bendarage of Gamini MMV Bentota who anchored her team to a new meet record victory in the Under 18 Girl’s 4X100m at the Senior Tarbet, made use of the opportunity to enter her name to the record books clocking 12.27secs to win the race. Melani’s time is now the best time recorded in the Under 18 100m this year managing to better Shelinda’s time of 12.41secs at the Senior Tarbet. Sadeepa Henderson of Gateway College Colombo was placed second clocking 12.40secs while T M P Weerasooriya of St. Joseph’s BV, Kegalle was placed third clocking 12.48secs.
In the Under 20 Boy’s and Girl’s category, the pre-race favourites were not hassled as they managed to secure victories. Maristonian Chanuka Sandeepa clocked 10.67secs to take the win in the Boy’s final with T M S Dinusha of Moraketiya MV, Moraketiya was placed second while Yohan Danushka of St Benedict’s College – Colombo was placed third in the event.
Torch bearer of the championship and the South Asian Junior Sprint queen, Amasha De Silva returned to the track in style after missing out at the Senior Tarbet due to taking time off for studies made easy work of the Under 20 Girls 100m finals racing to victory clocking 12.18secs. Amasha’s team mate at the South Asian Junior Championship, Shafiya Yamick of Viharamahadevi BV Kandy was placed second while Ewanthi Emeshika of St. Mary’s Convent, Marawila was placed third.
In the U 16 Boy’s Discuss throw Peterite Rumesh Tharanga added his name to the All Island School athletic record books having clinched the event record at the Senior Tarbet merely a fortnight ago. Rumesh Tharanga’s best throw of 55.58m bettered the previous record by over 4 meters. S Minthunraj of Hartley College, Jaffna was placed second with a throw of 50.83 while V S Nimantha of Ratnaloka Mv Rakwana was placed third for his performance of 49.51m.
K Kurukulasuriya of Buddhist Ladies College, Colombo established a new meet record in the U 14 Girl’s Shot Put with a throw of 10.05m. H I Malkethmi of OKI International was placed second throwing 9.26m while S H Prabodya of Ridivihara Mv Ibbagamuwa clinched the third place with a performance of 9.20m.
Milani Romeka of Ave Maria Convent, Negombo created a new meet record in the Girl’s Under 14 Long Jump clearing a distance of 5.07m , Dulumi Ruwansa of Holy Family Convent was placed second while A S Nimsara of Ambagamuwa C.C. Udabulathgama was placed third.
Western Province has taken the lead in the overall points table with Central in second and North Western Province in third at the end of Day 02 of the competition.
Points Table at the end of Day 02
| Place | Province | Points |
| 1 | Western Province | 380 |
| 2 | Central Province | 120 |
| 3 | North Western Province | 95 |
| 4 | Southern Province | 80 |
| 5 | Nothern Province | 71 |
| 6 | Sabaragamuwa Province | 57 |
| 7 | North Central Province | 47 |
| 8 | Uva Province | 21 |
| 9 | Eastern Province | 4 |
The action of the Championship is set to heat up further with the 400m, 200m and 4X400m finals set to be conducted tomorrow. Visit www.Thepapare.com/athletics to be updated on the
 with 100m finals of Under 16,18 and 20 age groups taking center stage.){kind=link}