Army's Wijekoon and Gunetilleke set new records

Bernard Perera

K.H.K. Gunetilleke (Sri Lanka Army) and W.M.C.I. Wijekoon were the stars on the final day of the 86th National Athletic Championship which concluded yesterday at the Sugathadasa Stadium.

First it was Gunetilleke who threw the Javelin to a distance of 71.85m to set a new meet record for the event. Then came the next record also by soldier W.M.C.I. Wijekoon who completed the 1500m clocking 3:44.10m. It was also notable to see two soldiers finish behind Wijekoon, P.H. Chamal and M.K.J.A. Nishanka Kumara clocked 3:46.79 and 3:56.24secs.

Asoka Jayasundera (Track Master Sports Club) won the 400m minus a tough competition clocking 46:90. He could not make a better time for this event as the top runners Prasanna Amarasekara, Rohitha Pushpakumara were not competing at this meet. Here too it was two soldiers who followed Jayasundera.

In the 1500m event too it was the Army men who donated from the start and three soldiers S.B. Abeynayake, R.M.G.D. Sampath and M.K.G.L. Priyankara finished the race respectively. Abeynayake the soldier who hails from Kantale finish the race 1:51.62 secs.

N.C.P. Priyadharshani (Sri Lanka Navy) won women's 100m clocking 12:04secs, while another Priyadharshani (Air Force) after a tough battle was placed second 12:20 secs.

H.S.W. Perera was the winner in the 100m in the absence of Umanga Surendra managed to finish the event in only 10:87secs.

Most of the leading sprinters and 400m runners have skipped the meet as they were tired after competing at the Asian Grand Prix last week.

Long jump (men): 1. C. Ranthelige (Matara DAA) - 7.46 m, 2.D.S. Solangaarachchi (Sri Lanka Sports Club) - 7.40 m, 3. N. P. Dharmaratne (Sri Lanka Army) - 7.38 m.

Javelin throw (men): K. H. K. Gunathilake (Sri Lanka Navy) - 71.85 m*, 2. B. R. Chanturanga (Sri Lanka Army) - 66.30 m, 3. H. A. D. H. Perera (Sri Lanka Air Force) 64.16 M.

400 m hurdles (men): H. P. Y. Ajith (Sri Lanka Army) - 52.13 sec, 2. H. S. P. Silva (Sri Lanka Air Force) - 52.75 sec, 3. L. Samarasinha (Sri Lanka Army) - 52.87 sec.

400 m hurdles (women): 1. M. H. N. Geethika (Sri Lanka Navy) - 1:05.56 sec, 2. B. G. L. Maduwanthi (unattached) 1:06.19 sec, M. K. N. A. Fernando (Sri Lanka Air Force) - 1:07.11 sec.

800 m (men): 1. S. B. Abeynayake (Sri Lanka Army) - 1:51.62 sec, 2. R. M. G. D. Sampath (Sri Lanka Army) - 1:51.72 sec, 3. M. K. G. L. Priyankara (Sri Lanka Army) 1:51.86 sec.

100 m (women): 1. N. C. P. Priyadarshani (Sri Lanka Navy) - 12.04 sec, 2. D. D. P. Priyadharshani (Sri Lanka Air Force) - 12.20 sec, 3. Achala Dias (unattached) - 12.47 sec.

100 m (men): 1. H. S. W. Perera (Sri Lanka Army) - 10.87 sec, 2. D. Roshan Chamara Silva (Lanka Lions Sports Club) - 10.96 sec, 3. D. P. A. B. G. Silva (Sri Lanka Navy) - 11.00 sec.

5,000 m (men): 1. R. M. S. Pusphakumara (Sri Lanka Army) - 14:38.32 sec, 2. D. L. Samarajeewa (Sri Lanka Army) - 14:42.12 sec, 3. A. Sujith Kumara (Sri Lanka Army) - 14:53.56 sec.

1,500 m (women): 1. D. A. S. Samanmali (Sri Lanka Air Force) - 4:37.05 sec, 2. H. B. N. G. Rajasekara (Sri Lanka Army) - 4:37.12 sec, 3. N. M. C. Dilrukshi (Sri Lanka Army) - 4:38.49 sec.

1,500 m (men): 1. W. M. C. I. Wijekoon (Sri Lanka Army) - 3:44.10 sec*, 2. P. H. Chamal (Sri Lanka Army) - 3:46.79 sec. 3. M. K. J. A. Nishanka Kumara (Sri Lanka Army) - 3:56.24 sec.

400 m (men): 1. Ashoka Jayasundara (Track Master Sports Club) - 46.90 sec, 2. T. H. D. Priyashantha (Sri Lanka Navy) - 47.64 sec, 3. R. M. S. V. Rathnayaka (Sri Lanka Army) - 47.84 sec.

400 m (women): 1. R. M. C. Subashini (Ceylonese Track and Field Club) - 54.19 sec, 2. P. S. M. Zoysa (Sri Lanka Air Force) - 55.04 sec, 3. L. D Jayawardana (Sri Lanka Police Sports Club) 56.88 sec.

Decathlon: 1. M. Sameer (Sri Lanka Air Force) - 6,049, 2. Krishantha C. Muthukuda (Mercantile Athletic Federation) - 5,178, 3. L. C. P. Piumal (Sri Lanka Air Force) - 5,073, 4. D. K. S. K. Samarasinghe (Sri Lanka Army) - 4,749.

Challenge Trophies for Best Performers

Horlicks Challenge Trophy for sprint events: Asoka Jayasundara (Track Master Sports Club) - 400 m (clocked 46.90 sec).

Chandi Kannangara Memorial Trophy - women sprinters: R. M. Chandrika Subashini - 400 m (clocked 54.19 sec.).

N. M. Vasagam Challenge Trophy for best in jumping events: W. P. Manjula Kumara (Lanka Lions Sports Club) - high jump - 2.18 m.

Grayline Group Challenge Trophy for best performance women (jumps): N. C. P. Priyadarshani (Sri Lanka Navy) - long jump (6.24 m).

C. C. Dissanayake Challenge Trophy - best in the throwing events: K. H. K. Guanthilake (Sri Lanka Navy) - javelin throw - 71.85 m*.

HNB Challenge Trophy for best performance of women (throws): B. L. Nadeeka Lakmali (Sri Lanka Army) - javelin throw (55.07*).

Duncan White Challenge Trophy for best performance in hurdles events: H. P. Y. Ajith (Sri Lanka Army) - 400 m hurdles (clocked 52.13 sec).

Glucoline Challenge Trophy for best performance of women (hurdles): B. G. L. Maduwanthi (Unattached) - 100 m hurdles (clocked 15.13 sec).

Governor Generals Cup for best in the middle and long distance events: W. M. C. I. Wijekoon (Sri Lanka Army) - 1,500 m (clocked 3:44.10 sec).

Huxley's Wintergino Challenge Trophy - best performance of women (middle and long distance): H. B. N. G. Rajasekara (Sri Lanka Army) - 800 m (clocked 2:10.51 sec).

Dr. Nagalingam Ethiriweerasingam Trophy - best high jumper: W. P. Manjula Kumara (Lanka Lions Sports Club) - high jump (2.18 m).

Colombo Canteen Committee Challenge Trophy - best women event at the meet: R. M. Chandrika Subashini (CT and FC) - 400 m (clocked 54.19 sec.)

The Wilson Bartleet Challenge Trophy - best men's event at the meet: Asoka Jayasundara (Track Master Sports Club) - 400 m (clocked 46.90 sec).

* - new meet record