Nine new meet records established on day one

Anushka WITHANAGE

Nine new meet records were established at the 52 Junior National Athletic Championship meet which began at Sugathadasa stadium yesterday.

Sachith Maduranga (Ananda College, Colombo) set a new record for the Javelin Throw in the under 20 event with a distance 64:63m to improve on his own record of 63.68 set last year. The first track record was established by D.H. Amila Krishantha (CP/H Ambagamuwa M.V) in the 3000m under 23 women’s event with a time of 13:6.95sec. The earlier record too was held by her school mate K.G. Dumali Rangika in 2008, clocking13:23.67

E.M.T.K. Ekanayake (A/Rathnayake Central College) was responsible in setting a new record in the under 20 women’s 3000m when she clocked 11:42.13secs.

The middle distance runner I.D. Sharanga Harshana from Gurukula College, Kelaniya won the 800m heats under 16 boys event clocked 2:02.11secs set a new mark for the event. Sanjuna Samaraweera of the Royal Institute won the shot putt Boys final under 16 with a record distance 15.68m. Maris Stella College’s Udara Silva went over the bar at 2.15m to erase the old record 2.10m set by A.A D.N. Priyadharshana in the year 2003.

W.K.L.A. Nimali (Suriyawewa) won the 5000m under 23 womens event setting anew Meet record. She clocked 17:37.99secs for the event.

N. Lakshan (Dammissra MMV, Nattandiya) and D.S Ranasinghe (SL Army) threw the javelin in the under 23 category to a distance of 67:77m and 67:10m to over the exiting 65.54m record held by H.M.M. Ratnayake in 2003.