Sri Lankan athletes bag four medals in Singapore

Anuradha Abeysekera

Sri Lankan athletes performed well to clinch four medals out of five events the country was represented including one Gold, a Silver and two Bronze medals at the 73rd Singapore Open Track and Field Championship which was worked off on August 20 and 21 at the Bukit Gombak Stadium.

K. M. Rathnakumari earned the highest honours for the country by winning the gold medal in the women’s 400m event with a timing of 54.71 secs. The Papua New Guinean runner Burne Betty who finished the race one second behind Rathnakumari became the silver medalist of the event.

Ranil Jayawardena who ran the men’s 200m race in 21.72 secs bagged the silver medal, missing the gold medal by a whisker. The gold medal went to Japanese athlete Kawatti Southiro who crossed the tape in 21.58 secs.

In the men’s 400m event, G. S. M. A. Kumara completed the race in 48.64 secs to claim the bronze medal. Shone Nelson (Papua New Guinea) won the gold medal clocking 47.70 secs. while Yamachchi Yuki became the silver medalist who took 48.0 secs to complete the race.

Sri Lanka’s second bronze medal came in the Triple Jump event as D. M. E. D. K. Fernando won the third place with a performance of 15.51 metres. Chinese athlete Wiu Voo clinched the gold medal with 16.54 metres clearance and Kumuru Tomonori (Japan) who made a 15.63 metre jump claimed the silver medal.

The only event Sri Lanka has failed to win a medal was the long jump. The local contingent will arrive in the country today.

Around 100 athletes from more than 10 countries participated in this year’s championship.