Lyceum create history, Ratnayake Central retain girls’ title  

Nadun, Tharushi bag best athlete awards

By Reemus Fernando

Royal College hurdler Nadun Bandara and Ratnayake Central runner Tharushi Karunaratne were awarded the best athlete titles for their outstanding performances as the All Island Schools Games Athletics Championship concluded with Lyceum International School, Wattala winning their maiden boys’ title and Ratnayake Central retaining the girls’ championship at the Sugathadasa Stadium on Tuesday.

Bandara equalled a decade-old national junior record of Supun Viraj Randeniya with a 13.64 seconds feat to win the Under 20 boys’ 110 metres hurdles. The World Junior Athletics Championship participant concluded his schools athletics competitions with all championship (U16, U18, U20) records of the sprint hurdles against his name.

Karunaratne who is in her first year in the Under 20 age category accounted for three meet records. Her outstanding 54.22 seconds finish in the 400 metres earned her the best athlete title. The World Junior Championship participant also established records in the 800 metres and the 4×400 metres apart from winning the 200 metres.

The duo were not the only participants of the World Junior Championships to excel at the five-day event.

Ambagamuwa MV, hurdler Dhanuka Dharshana created a new meet record in the Under 20 boys’ 400 metres hurdles yesterday. The World Junior Athletics Championship participant clocked 51.42 seconds to slash one second from the meet record held by Navodya Sankalpa of Mahinda College (2019).

The 400 metres hurdles record in the Under 18 boys’ category was also renewed on the final day as Ayomal Akalanka from the same school returned a time of 53.12 seconds to win.

Lyceum International School, Wattala created a piece of history by becoming the first international school to win the overall boys’ title and the mixed schools title as they reaped the benefits of recruiting talented young athletes from other schools. The victory was no surprise as they had already exhibited their prowess at the recently concluded Sir John Tarbat Senior Athletics Championships. They aggregated 81 points to win the boys’ championship.

The real surprise was the rise of Rahula College, Matara who won the runner-up position with a total of 73 points. Traditional athletics strongholds of St. Peter’s, St. Benedict’s and Maris Stella finished below the first three positions.

Tharushi Karunaratne and Nadun Bandara
were adjudged the best athletes of the
meet. (Pix by Nishan S. Priyantha)

Ratnayake Central aggregated as many as 122 points for the overall girls’ title. Lyceum (69) and Holy Cross College, Gampaha (64) finished second and third respectively.

The final day of the championship witnessed several meet records being created.

In the Under 14 age category, Thushan Kumaranayake of Kanumuldeniya North National School registered back to back meet records. He clocked 9.64 seconds to win the 80 metres sprint in a new meet record time to follow up his 100 metres triumph.

S. Mithunraj of Hartley College, Jaffna (Under 20 boys’ discus throw – 45.47 m), M.A. Rifai of Trinity College, Kandy (Under 16 300m hurdles – 38.65 secs) and the Under 20 girls’ 4×100 metres team of Dharmapala College, Pannipitiya were the others to establish new meet records on the final day.

In a rare feat for a Northern Province athlete, S. Kareen of Mulangavil MV turned the tables on Sadeesha Anusanka Fernando of Moratu MV to win the Under 20 boys’ 5000 metres. Kareen ended the unbeaten run of Fernando as he finished the gruelling event in a time of 16:05.23 seconds. Fernando remained unchallenged at every Under 20 5000 metres race he ran since late last year. He was the winner of the Junior National Championship, Sir John Tarbat Senior Championships and the Education Ministry conducted schools half marathon. Yesterday he was piped to second place by nearly three seconds.

Ratnayake Central retained the overall girls’ title.