Hirusha breaks record, qualifies for World Junior meet

Hirusha Hashen cleared 7.67 metres to establish a new Sri Lanka junior record in the boys’ long jump as he reached qualifying standards for the upcoming World Junior Championships on day two of the Sri Lanka Athletics conducted 1st Selection Trial continued at the Sugathadasa Stadium on Friday.

Competing against a slight head wind (-0.9) Hashen cleared 7.67 metres to win the competition which had at least two other athletes clearing the seven metres mark. While St. Joseph’s College, Darley Road athlete Pasindu Malshan cleared 7.36 metres to secure the second place, Richmond College, Galle jumper Sandaru Nethsara made a jump of 7.02 metres.

Hashen erased the current national triple jump record holder Shreshan Dananjaya’s junior long jump record established in 2016. Dananjaya had cleared 7.60 metres in 2016.

Former Sidhartha College, Balapitiya and St. Peter’s College, Bambalapitiya athlete was representing Track Masters at yesterday’s meet. With his impressive performance he has become eligible to represent the country at the Junior World Championships in Cali, Colombia in August. The qualifying standard set for the world event is 7.55 metres.

In the senior category events held yesterday, national steeplechase record holder Nilani Ratnayake, who almost made it to the Tokyo Olympics last year, came close to renewing her national record in the 3,000 metres steeplechase. In an unusually fast performance for a season starter, Ratnayake clocked nine minutes and 47.47 seconds to complete the race. She was just a second slower than her 2018 national record performance.

Olympian Sumedha Ranasinghe registered 78.36 metres as his best throw to win the men’s javelin throw, while Waruna Dayaratne (73.42m) and Sampath Ranasinghe (70.68m) were the only others to clear the 70 metres mark.

In sprints, Rumeshika Ratnayake made a strong return winning the first place in the senior women’s 200 metres in a time of 24.40 seconds, while senior men’s 200 metres was won by Mohamed Safan in a time of 21.04 seconds. Sithum Jayasundara remained unbeaten for the second consecutive day as he won the junior men’s 200 metres to follow up his 400 metres victory on day one. Jayasundara returned a time of 21.67 seconds.

The women’s 800 metres lacked the leading contenders. In their absence N.M.A. Kumari clocked 2:10.28 seconds to win the event. The men’s 800 metres final witnessed a close finish with Harsha Karunaratne edging others to win in a time of 1:53.29 seconds. Kavishka Sri Bandara of Elapatha MV was the winner of the men’s junior 800 metres (1:55.64secs).

Hurdler Roshan Ranatunga, who broke Olympian Mahesh Perera’s long standing national record last year, commenced the year with a 14.13 seconds finish in the men’s 110 metres hurdles heats. In the final he clocked 14.26 seconds to win.

In the women’s 100 metres hurdles Lakshika Sugandhi returned a time of 13.82 seconds to win.