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By Dinesh Weerawansa

Sri Lanka Junior National athletic championship, powered by Dialog GSM, will be worked off at the Uyanwatte Stadium, Matara from June 7 to 9. Sri Lanka Athletic Association President, Sunil Jayaweera said this is the first time that the meet is being held in outstation.

The three-day meet, conducted by the Athletic Association of Sri Lanka, is sponsored by Sri Lanka's leading cellular telecommunications provider Dialog GSM - MTN Networks (Pvt) Ltd. Sri Lanka athletics has been fortunate to obtain an attractive eight million rupee sponsorship from Dialog GSM, thanks to the keenness shown by its CEO, Dr. Hans Wijesuriya and his dynamic team, which include Mothilal de Silva (General Manager) and Chirantha de Soysa. (Specialist Market Development).

Sri Lanka athletic chief Jayaweera paid a tribute to Dialog GSM for their commitment to power Sri Lanka athletics in a big way. He also said the three-day junior nationals are conducted in association with the Matara District Atletic Association, headed by the Vice Chancellor of the University of Ruhuna, Prof. Ranjith Senaratne. The Matara DAA has given its fullest support to the national body to host the meet, which has attracted a record number of 2,000 boys and girls. Prof. Senaratne and his Secretary Y. K. Kularatne have been instrumental in organising the event.

Jayaweera said they have introduced Under-12 and under-14 events for the first time. He said it is encouraging to see a record number of competitors, though the meet is being held out of Colombo for the first time. Budding athletes from all over the country will be seen in action. All district associations, including Jaffna, Vavuniya, Trincomalee, Batticaloa and Mannar, will take part in the meet.

Sri Lanka athletic boss also said former Sri Lanka Asian Games gold medallist, Nagalingam Ediriweerasingham has been appointed as their Northern co-ordinator, in a bid to focus the attention to North and East to revive track and field in the two provinces. Ediriweerasingham was recently included in the National Sports Council by the Sports Minister.

Lankans return in time for final trial

Two Sri Lanka national pools currently training in Thailand and Malaysia, are due to return home by the end of this month to face the third and final trial to pick the Sri Lanka team for the forthcoming Asian Track & Field Championships - the Sri Lanka National championships to be worked off at the Sugathadasa Stadium mid next month. The Lankan athletes were forced to send for training in Thailand and Malaysia as the stadium track is being relayed for August's 43-nation event in Colombo. The new track is expected to be ready by early next month and the 2002 Sri Lanka National Championships will be the first event to be held on the new Rekottan track.

Dharsha injured

Meanwhile, Sri Lankan woman sprinter Damayanthi Darsha, who is currently in Bangkok with the Sri Lanka national pool training for next month's Commonwealth Games in Manchester, is nursing a hamstring injury. Sri Lanka national coach Dervin Perera said Darsha has complained of a hamstring injury after the inaugural Asian Grand Prix Series last week.

But Perera said Darsha's injury is a minor one and she should be able to run in Manchester. Darsha is the reigning women's 200m and 400m Asian Games champion, having won the two gold medals at the 1998 Bangkok Games.

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