Confident Sri Lanka team leave for Asian Youth Athletics Championships  

By Reemus Fernando  

Sri Lanka Youth athletics team expect all participants to win podium places when they compete in the Asian Youth Athletics Championship in Tashkent, Uzbekistan this week.  The seven member team inclusive of two medallist from the last edition were schedule to leave for Uzbekistan in the morning today.

“All seven members are in the medal winning standard. We look forward to win medals in all events they take part in,” Buddhika Nuwan, the coach of the touring team told The Island on the eve of the team’s departure yesterday.

“We expect Nirmali to improve the colour of the medal she won last time. She is currently in the range of two minutes and 14 seconds in her event. She did two minutes and 15 seconds to win the silver at the last edition,” said Nuwan of his charge Nirmali Wickramasinghe who won silver in the girls’ 800 metres at the last edition in Kuwait.

Dulanjana Wickramasinghe is the other girl in the team and she too is trained by Nuwan. Wickramasinghe will compete in the 1,500 metres. Both athletes are from Wickramabahu National School, Gampola. Dulanjana clocked 4;47.89 to finish head to head with Nirmali to share the first and second places in a photo finish at the selection trial held recently. Here winning time is better than that of the gold medalist at the last edition.

D.S. Senanayake College, Colombo athlete Lesandu Arthavidu who won a bronze medal at the last edition will compete in the high jump. He cleared a height of two metres at the selection trial. Dikwella Central high jumper Nilupul Pehesara Thenuja who also cleared the same height at the trial is the other high jumper expecting to excel at the regional championships.

Ambagamuwa Central hurdler Ayomal Akalanka’s performance in the boys’ 400 metres hurdles was 52.87 seconds. That places him among the two hurdlers of his age category in Asia.

Maris Stella College jumper Thushen Malindaratne Silva will compete in the boys’ pole vault after having achieved the qualifying standard with a feat of 4.65 metres at the selection trial. Mahinda College, Galle sprinter Yathya Kirulu who excelled in the 400 metres is the other athlete in the team. The team is expected to reach Uzbekistan on April 25.