Gayanthika clocks Asian Games qualifying time

100th National Athletics Championship 

by Reemus Fernando

Long distance runner Gayanthika Abeyratne produced an Asian Games qualifying time for the second time within six months as she won the women’s 1,500 metres, three seconds shy of her national record on a rain hampered day one of the centenary National Athletics Championship at Diyagama on Friday.

The Navy athlete returned a time of 4:12.41 seconds which is fractions better than the locally set qualifying standards for the Asian Games. The veteran athlete was some 22 seconds ahead of emerging runner Shanika Lakshani of Sri Lanka Army and Kemna Kumari of Air Force who were placed second and third respectively.

The day commenced with Lanka Ariyadasa winning the first event for Air Force. She clocked a time of 35:01.28 seconds in the women’s 10,000 metres

The men’s 5,000 metres found a new champion in Vicknaraja Vakshan who clocked 14:34.26 seconds to win ahead of his training partner Danushka Dissanayake and veteran R.M.S. Pushpakumara.

The women’s hammer throw was won by Nisansala Ratnasiri who was the only thrower to go beyond the 43 metres (43.01m) mark.

In the men’s shot put Samith Fernando cleared a distance of 16.44 metres to win.

Several field event finals and the men’s and women’s sprint hurdles finals were postponed to Saturday after heavy rain hampered the afternoon session.