Medal winning athletes rewarded

Prince GUNASEKARA

The athletes who excelled at the recently concluded Asian Junior Athletics Championships were felicitated at Temple Trees yesterday. Two houses and cash prizes were awarded to the gold medal winning athletes Shivanthi Kumari Ratnayake and Dulaj Madusanka, who did their country proud.

Rathnayake and Madushanka, both won their respective 400 metres sprint events at the championship. Madusanka, who is a product of Pasyala Maha Vidyalaya, won the boys 400 metre event clocking 47.75 seconds while Rathnayake who is a student of Kegalu Balika Vidyalaya secured the gold medal in the womens 400 metres event and was also a member of the silver medal winning womens 4 x 400 metres relay.

They were awarded cash prizes worth Rs 500,000. In addition to those rewards, they were also presented with a nutrition allowance worth Rs 20,000 for a period of two years which will help maintain their fitness standards.

Nimesha Siriwardena who won the Silver medal in the womens high jump was awarded Rs 300,000 while the womens 4x400 metres gold medal winning team was rewarded with cash prizes worth Rs 450,000. The Bronze medalists, Chamika Munasinghe and Supun Viraj Dandeniya were presented Rs 150,000 each and the coaches of the medalists were also rewarded with cash awards.

Sports minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage, Telecommunication and Information Technology Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya, Construction, Engineering Services, Housing and Common Amenities Minister Wimal Weerawansa and Education Minister Bandula Gunawardena were also present at the occasion while the parents of the athletes, Principals, Officials of the Athletic Association of Sri Lanka were also participated.