President meets medal winners

Sri Lanka’s medal winners at the recent Commonwealth Youth Games held in Pune, India met the President Mahinda Rajapaksa at Temple Trees yesterday.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa with the medal winners at the Commonwealth Youth Games along with Sports Minister Gamini Lokuge and other officials of the Athletic Association of Sri Lanka.

The Sri Lankan contingent comprised of golden boy Shehan Ambepitiya and the 4 X 100 metres relay quartet comprising of Roshan Chamara Silva, Ranil Jayawardena and Keith de Mel.

In fact Ambepitiya the eighteen year old schoolboy from Gateway College who was placed seventh in the men’s 100 metres at the World Youth championships in Poland turned a new leaf in the history of athletics in this country by snatching three gold medals at this event.

Ambepitiya completed a grand sprint double by winning the boys 100 metres and the 200 metres with a record breaking performance and followed up by running the anchor lap in the boys 4 X 100 metres relay event. His efforts in this meet also helped Sri Lanka to finish among the top ten out of a total of 71 nations in the final medals standings.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa congratulated the four athletes for their splendid effort that helped Sri Lanka to make their presence felt at this games. Ambepitiya received a special cash award and the rest of the athletes also received cash awards through the Ministry of Sports and Public Recreation Development Fund.

Also present at this occasion were Minister of Sports and Public Recreation Gamini Lokuge, Sports Ministry Acting Secretary B. C. Herath, Senior Assistant Secretary P. Hatharasinghe, Director Sports Development Authority B. D. Dahanayake, President of the Athletic Association of Sri Lanka Major General Palitha Fernanado, Secretary Athletic Association of Sri Lanka Prema Pinnawela, coaches Sunil Gunawardena, J. D. Wimalaratne and Suresh Champika.

(C.D).