The athletics team that will fly to Bangkok for the Youth Olympic selection trials on May 21, 22 will be finalized after this weekend when the U-18 2000m steeplechase event will be held during the national selection trials at the Sugathadasa Stadium.
The event did not feature in the recent junior nationals due to a mistake by the officials who later decided to hold the event along with the national trials due to immense pressure from concerned parties.
Eight athletes have already been named for the team which includes four medalists of last year’s Asian Youth Games.
Akila Ravishanka (110m Silver medalist), Dilhani Fernando (800m bronze medalist), Nirmali Madushika (400m bronze medalist) and Anurada Vidushanka (400m hurdle bronze medalist) are the medalists.
Meanwhile, 20 athletes have been selected for the forthcoming Asian Junior Athletics Championship to be held from June 12 to 15 in Chinese Taipei. They include Australia based pole-vaulter Mudith Jayasekara. Jayasekara who has a personal best of 4.80m came to Sri Lanka a week ago for the Junior Nationals and jumped 4:50m with two jumps before stopping due to bad weather.
Jayasekara will represent Sri Lanka for the first time after representing Australia at the Australia Youth Olympic last year.
St. Peter’s College athlete Harsha Fernando is not in the team as he couldn’t compete at the junior nationals due to injury. South Asian Junior gold medalist Fernando has already run below World junior qualification stand in 400m hurdles and also clocked sub 49 seconds in 400m easily.
Sri Lanka won six medals including two famous 400m gold medals in the Asian Junior Athletics Championship 2012 held at Sugathadasa Stadium.
The Athletics Association is confident Sri Lanka’s medal tally will increase this year.
Team for Asian Junior Championship (June 12-15 – Chinese Taipei):
Boys:
Mudith Jayasekara (pole vault), Udeepa Karunasinghe (triple jump), Himasha Eshan (100m, 200m, 4x100m), Nisal Sachinthana (100m, 4x100m), Suranga de Silva (4x100m), Arosha Kariyawasam (4x100m), Naveen Muthuarachchi (4x100m), Vinura Lakmal (400m, 4x400m), Kupun Kushantha (800m), Anuradha Vidusanka (4x400m), Kalpa Ratnayake (4x400m), Sathira Shanuka (4x400m)
Girls:
Vidusha Lakshani (triple jump), Dilhani Fernando (800m), Srangi Silva (long jump), Nirmali Madushika (400m, 4x400m), Kaushalya Madushani (400m hurdles, 4x400m), M.O. Udayangani (4x400m), Methma Kithmini (4x400m), Ruwanthi Ferdinandes (4x400m)
