Maris Stella, St. Joseph's Convent retain titles

S M Jiffrey ABDEEN, Kandy Sports Correspondent

Maris Stella College, Negombo and St. Joseph's Convent, Kegalle retained the boys and girls overall championships respectively at the 42nd Sir John Tarbat Junior Athletic Championships 2011 organized by the Sri Lanka Schools Athletic Association and concluded at the Bogambara Stadium, Kandy yesterday.

Maris Stella College aggregated 92 points to win the overall boys championship. Lyceum International School, Wattala finished runner-up with 71 points. In third place was Royal College, Colombo with 64 points. Overall Championship - Girls

St. Joseph's Convent, Kegalle repeated their last year's success by winning the overall championship for girls by totalling 71 points. In second place was Ave Maria Convent, Negombo with 58 points. In third slot in the overall points table was Musaeus College, Colombo with 55 points.

Two meet records were also lowered on the final day. The first record to go was in the under 15 boys high jump when N H P Bandara of Gateway International School cleared a hight of 1.82 metres to lower the earlier record of 1.81 metres held by W P M Primal Dias of Maris Stella College, Negombo since 1995. This was one of the oldest records to be lowered.

The second record to go was in the under 15 boys 400 metres when W B H I Mihiranga of Kuliyapitiya Central College timed 54.2 seconds which bettered the earlier record of 54.5 seconds held by L D P Delumgahawatta of St Anthony's College, Kandy since 1989. This is the oldest record of this championship and Mihiranga did extremely under difficult conditions as the track was soggy and slippery. The results of the other age group championships:

Under 12 girls: Musaeus College - 37 points.

Under 12 boys: St. Benedict's College, Kotahena - 49 points.

Under 13 girls: Mahamaya Girls College, Kandy - 29 points.

Under 13 boys: Lyceum International School, Wattala - 59 points.

Under 14 girls: St. Joseph's Convent, Kegalle - 35 points.

Under 14 boys: Royal College, Colombo - 43 points.

Under 15 girls: St. Joseph's Convent, Kegalle - 30 points.

Under 15 boys: Ananda College, Colombo - 37 points.

Relay championship - girls: Mahamaya Girls College, Kandy - 20 points.

Relay championship - boys: Maris Stella College - 18 points.

Best performer - long jump - boys: R Wickremaratne (Maris Stella College) - 6.07 m.

Best performer - high jump - boys: N W P Udantha Bandara (Gateway College, Rajagiriya) - 1.82m.

Best performer - girls for 2011: P G N Madhushika (Talge Sugathakande Vidyalaya) - 400 metres - 60.1 secs.

Best performer - boys for 2011: W A M Madushanka (St Rita Vidyalaya, Wennappuwa) - discuss throw - 45.64 metres (under 15).