87th National Athletic Championships:

Chaminda betters his own record

Chinthana Wasala

Chaminda Wijekoon of the Sri Lanka Army Sports Club gave a fine display to improve on his own National record for the 1500m clocking 3 mins. 43.80 secs. finishing in style on the second day of the 87th National Athletic Championships at the Sugathadasa Stadium Colombo yesterday. Wijekoon in fact lowered his record which was set at the National Selection Trials four years ago.

After setting up yesterday’s record, Wijekoon easily cleared his way to run in the forthcoming 18th Asian Championships which will be held in China.

Priyangika Madumanthi who represented Kurunegala DAA failed to make it to the Asian Championships as she had to finish with a height of 1.78m in the women’s high jump. The minimum qualifying clearance for China was 1.82m and Madumanthi’s best read as 1.85m which she cleared at Cochi, India last year.

Any of the other athletes could not get close to the qualifying standards of the Asian Championships.

N.C.D. Priyadarshani of Sri Lanka Navy won the women’s triple jump when she cleared 12.47m and Sri Lanka Army’s N.M.C. Dilrukshi was placed first in the women’s 800m final when she finished with a time of 2 mins. 09.96 secs.

In the women’s 100m hurdles event D.A. Harshani Wijesinghe from St. Joseph’s College, Kegalle made a fine impact with a good effort of 14.62 sec. to secure the first place.

Meanwhile soldier H.R.N.V. Bandara won the men’s 10,000m event clocking 32 mins.07.61 secs. and his teammate A.C. Fernando cleared 4.35m in the men’s pole vault to be placed first.

The performances of athletes from Sri Lanka Army was noteworthy as they also won the men’s 110m hurdles (H.R. Ratnayake – 15.14 secs.), Men’s triple jump (M.G.C.N. Gamage – 15.38m) and women’s javelin throw (H.L.N.D. Lekamge – 46.29m).

The championships concludes today.

Today’s finals:

3.30 p.m. - Women’s Shot Put

3.30 p.m. - Men’s High Jump

3.30 p.m. - Men’s Javelin Throw

4.00 p.m. - Men’s 400m hurdles

4.20 p.m. - Women’s 400m hurdles

4.40 p.m. - Men’s 800m

5.30 p.m. - Women’s 100m

5.40 p.m. - Men’s 100m

6.00 p.m. - Men’s 5000m

6.20 p.m. - Women’s 1500m

6.30 p.m. - Men’s 400m

6.40 p.m. - Women’s 400m