China wins first gold

Chinthana WASALA in Singapore

Lankans completed a successful first day with a class show at the first Asian Youth Games which is now in progress in Singapore.

Sri Lankan cagers came up with an excellent performances, winning all three games they faced yesterday and qualified play in the quarter finals of the 1st AYG.

The Lankan boys trounced Nepal 33-11 in their Group ‘B’ 3 on 3 basketball match in the morning. Yohan Dilshan Keyzer was the best scorer adding 14 points to the winning total while Praneeth Udumalagala’s contribution being 11 points. They beat Qatar in the evening, to stay as the only unbeaten team so far on the first day of Basketball at the Anglican High School indoor stadium.

The girls team posed an unexpected threat to Uzbekistan and won the game at 34-29. The spectators were very much surprised and highly impressed with the way the Lankan Girls performed having a big disadvantage compared with the height.

Sri Lankan beach volleyballers defeated hosts Singapore in straight sets (21-11, 21-14) on their first appearance in the first AYG.

Ashan J. Fernando and A. Madusanka Fernando teamed up to give the hosts the unexpected shock, as the Singaporeans entered the fray with high hopes, at the magnificent Siloso Beach in the famous Sentosa Island.

But the Lankan girls could not succeed further on this day when they lost both their matches in the evening to Philippines and Chinese Taipei in straight sets.

Indunil Ratnayake proved he is one of Sri Lanka’s future prospect in the middle distance events when he finished first in the boys’ 800m clocking 1min. 58.9 seconds to be the fastest among the 22 competitors who took part in the three heats of first round.

In the girls’ 100m hurdles, Keshani Perera finished fourth in the first heat clocking 16.50 seconds and managed to qualify for the final of her event which will take place at the Bishan stadium tomorrow.

The boys 4x200m event saw Sri Lankan boys finish second with a time of 1 min.30.80 seconds to enter the final which is scheduled for tomorrow.

Sri Lanka Table Tennis team too came up with a fine performance not give any chance for Maldives to fight and trounced them 3-0 in the team event which was worked off yesterday at the Toa Payoh Sports Hall.

In the singles Nuwani Navodya beat Maldivian Shiura Sharef 3-0 (11-4, 11-7, 11-5) while Hasintha Shashiranga beat Shifan Ibrahim 3-0 (11-6, 11-2, 11-2) and in the mixed doubles, Nuwani and Shashiranga beat Shiura and Shifan 3-0 (11-5,11-1, 11-7) giving the Maldivian girls a dull day.

China led the medal tally of the Asian Youth Games yesterday evening, with three gold medals followed by India who had a gold, silver and a bronze medal.