An encouraging 17 new meet records were set at the 63rd Junior National Athletic Championship that concluded on Wednesday (10) at the Mahinda Rajapaksa Stadium at Diyagama, Homagama.
Some of the youth athletes who won medals at the Asian Youth Athletic meet recently came out strongly once again. One of them was 18-year-old Thushane Silva of Maris Stella College Negombo who set a new games record in the pole vault event achieving a new height of 4.50 metres.
Another athlete was Ayomal Akalanka, who represented Sri Lanka in the Asian Youth meet and set a record in the U-18 Boys’ 400m hurdles. The boy from Ambagamuwa Central College set the record in a time of 52.66 seconds. He also received a special award being the best athlete in the under-18 boys’ category.
Asian Junior Athletics hopeful Malith Yasiru produced a record breaking feat when he established a new meet record in the Under-20 boys’ triple jump event clearing 15.89 metres in his first attempt itself. His effort on the final day of the meet saw him being presented with the best performance award of the meet for boys’ under-20 category.
The athlete from Kahawatta Central broke the record of 15.78 metres held by former national triple jump record holder Shreshan Dananjaya set in 2016.
The hammer throw event, a new sport for the young athletes also came into the reckoning with new meet records established.
Vimalathas Nitharshan of Hartley College, Jaffna established a new record in the Under-18 boys’ hammer throw event with a throw of 35.19 metres.
Two more records were established by Nithinsa Mandani of Yatiyana MV, Matara who threw the hammer to a distance of 40 metres to break the Under-23 women’s record established in 2013.
Yuthara Linduli Jayaweera of Anula Vidyalaya, Nugegoda cleared a distance of 36.79 metres to create a new record in this event for girls’ under-18.
New records: (17)
Men 200m U-23: 21.65secs IKB Abewardane (Army)
Men 400m U-23: 47.06 secs HDR Madushan (Army)
400m Hurdles U-23 51.24secs KMD Darshana (Sri Lak AC)
Discus Throw U-23: 43.61m Suseenthi Kumar Mithunraj (Hartley College – Jaffna)
100m U-20: 10.77secs Themiya Kumara (Pannala MV Kegalle)
Triple Jump U-20: Men 15.89m Malith Yasiru (Kahawatta Central)
400m Hurdles U-18: 52.66secs, KLA Akalanka (Ambagamuwa Central)
Pole Vault U-18: 4.50m Thushen Silva (Maris Stella College – Negombo)
Hammer Throw U-18: Men 35.19m Vimalathas Nitharshan (Hartley College – Jaffna)
300m Hurdles U-16: 40.31secs UMA Sandeepa (Ambagamuwa CC)
High Jump U-16: 1.94m Tharusha Mendis (Lyceum – Wattala)
Women:
100m Hurdles U-23: 14.51secs SBSL Dissanayaka (Swarnamali Girls College – Kandy)
Hammer Throw U-23: 40.00m Nithinsa Mandani (Yatiyana MV – Matara)
100m Hurdles U-20: 14.45secs SD Kahangama (Mahamaya Girls’ College Kandy)
Hammer Throw U-18: 36.79m Linduli Jayaweera (Anula Vidyalaya – Nugegoda)
100m U-16 Girls: 12.58secs Dananjana Fernando (Lyceum – Wattala)
300m Hurdles U-16 Girls: 46.44secs HMNS Seneviratne (Mahamaya Girls’ College – Kandy)
Best athletes:
Junior National Championships - 2023
Best Athlete in Girls U-16 Category:
Nethra Samadi (Vijitha Central – Dickwella) High Jump 1.66 M
Best Athlete in Boys U-16 Category:
Binuda Bojitha (G Rahula College – Matara) Discus Throw 49.50
Best Athlete in Boys U-18 Category:
Ayomal Akalanka (Ambagamuwa Central) 400 M Hurdles 52.66secs (new record)
Best Athlete in Girls U-18 Category:
DAS Hansika (Ambagamuwa Central) Long Jump 5.68
Best Athlete in Girls U-20 Category:
HMNM Herath (Nannapurawa MV – Bibile) Long Jump 6.06
Best Athlete in Boys U-20 Category:
KV Malith Yasiru (Kahawatta Central) Triple Jump15.89 (new record)
Best Athlete in Girls U-23 Category:
SBSL Dissanayake (Swarnamali Girls College – Kandy) 100 Hurdles, 14.51secs (new record)
Best Athlete in Boys U-23 Category: KMD Darshana (Sri Lak AC) 400 Hurdles 51.24 secs (new record)
Best Performerof the Meet
Best Athlete in Boys U-20 Category; Malith Yasiru (Kahawatta Central) Triple Jump 15.89 (new record)