Ratnapura District - overall champions

Chinthana Wasala reporting from Nawalapitiya

Ratnapura District retained the overall championship of the National Youth Sports Festival with 115 points yesterday at the Jayathillake Ground in Nawalapitiya to make it two in a row.

Kurunegala District was the runner-up with 55 points while Anuradhapura District secured the third slot with 54 points. The champions were awarded a cash prize of Rs 150,000 in addition to the championship trophy.

Mohamed Mifran who set a new record in the men’s long jump and Ishara Sandeepani Dayananda who finished 200m with a time of 26.1 seconds were adjudged under 20 best men’s and women’s athletes respectively. In the over 20 category, Sampath Sanjeewa Jayasinghe the new record holder in the triple jump and Ishara Maduwanthi who cleared 5.69 metres in the long jump were adjudged best men and women athletes respectively. All were awarded with more cycles along with the trophies.

A total of 14 meet records were shattered during the four day youth sports extravaganza but no athlete was even close to set a new Sri Lanka National record for which the organizers promised a brand new car as the grand prize.

Three new records were set on the final day. The record for the over 20 men’s triple jump was broken when Kegalle District’s Sampath Sanjeewa Jayasinghe cleared a distance of 15.52 metres.

Dhanushka Shrimal Samarasekera updated the record book with his 14.46 metre attempt in the men’s under-20 triple jump. R M S J Ranasinghe also entered the record books after clearing 60.68 metres in the men’s under-20 javelin throw. Meanwhile the officials said that Nuwara Eliya’s N Selvakumar’s 33 minute 19.4 second run too was recognized as a new meet record. He ran in the men’s under-20, 10,000 metres event on the second day of athletic events here at the Jayathillake ground. Every record holder were presented with a Rs 10,000 worth of prize money.

Record breakers so far:

Hiruni Disala Weerasekera 11.97 metres - Women’s under-20 triple jump.

Himansa Karunaratne 37.82 metres - Women’s under-20 javelin throw.

Tharika Kumudumali 12.79 metres - Women’s over-20 shot putt.

M I M Mifran 6.94 metres - Men’s under-20 long jump.

Sonali Kumari Weerasekera - 43.25 metres - Women’s over-20 discus throw.

T.S. Wanniarachchi 13.59 metres - Men’s over 20 shot putt.

Nipuna Nirmal Weerasekera - 2.00 metres - Men’s under 20 high jump.

Madushani Siriwardena - 1.65 metres - Women’s under-20 high jump.

Sanjuna Sumanaweera - 13.97 metres - Men’s under-20 shot putt.

Vadiweshwaran Hariharan - 44 metres - Men’s under-20 discuss throw.

Sampath Sanjeewa Jayasinghe - 15.52 metres - Men’s over 20 triple jump.

N Selvakumar - 33.19.4 minutes - men’s under-20 10,000m.

Dhanushka Shrimal Samarasekera - 14.46 metres - men’s under 20 triple jump.

R M S J Ranasinghe - 60.68 metres - men’s under-20 javelin throw.