Madhushani, Meron, Abisheka among juniors to reach qualifying standards for Asian Junior Championships

by Reemus Fernando

Nannapurawa MV Bibila athlete Madhushani Herath, Wickramabahu NS, Gampola runner Tharushi Abisheka, Ananda College sprinter Meron Wijesinghe and Lyceum jumpers reached locally set qualifying standards for the Asian Junior Athletics Championships at the Sri Lanka Athletics conducted First Selection Trial at Diyagama.

Herath reached standards in both the long jump and the triple jump as she cleared six metres and 13.01 metres respectively to win the two Under 20 girls’ events.

Anandian Wijesinghe clocked 10.56 seconds in the Under 20 100metres heats. He was the only athlete to clock under 10.60 seconds, the qualifying standard set for the regional event.

Abisheka continued from where she stopped last year as she returned a remarkable time of two minutes and 9.16 seconds in the 800 metres. Sri Lanka Athletics had granted permission for Asian Junior Championship aspirants to compete against seniors in a bid to achieve standards. The athlete who shattered Asian Games medallist Tharushi Karunaratne’s junior records last year competed alongside seniors in the 800 metres.

The two-day event was conducted in open and under 20 age categories to gauge the standards of athletes in both categories as the athletics government body is set to send teams for a number of international events including the World Relays and the Olympics this year.

In the Under 20 high jump, Lyceum Wattala duo of Tharusha Mendis and Deneth Anuhas both cleared the 2.10 metres height to reach qualifying standards.

In the Under 20 girls 400 metres Nuhansa Kodituwakku of Matara Central and Jithma Wijetunga of Lyceum Wattala came almost close to achieving qualifying standards as they clocked 56.24 and 56.25 seconds respectively to share the first two places.

In the senior events, top ranked national athletes Kalinga Kumarage and Aruna Dharshana finished first and second as both clocked sub 56 seconds in the 400 metres finals. Pasindu Kodikara and Dinuka Deshan finished third and fourth respectively.

Incidentally, Asian Games relay medallists Rajitha Rajakaruna and Pabasara Niku finished in the fifth and seventh places respectively.

In a highly anticipated 110 metres hurdles final former national record holder Dhammika Ranatunga turned tables on Janindu Lakvijaya to win in a time of 14.15 seconds.

In the men’s 100 metres, Chamod Yodasinghe was the undisputed winner as he clocked 10.50 seconds.The former champion Rumeshika Ratnayake was the winner of both the 100m (11.93) and the 200 metres (23.97).

Asian Games medalist Dilhani Lekamge cleared a distance of 52.35 metres to win the women’s javelin throw.The men’s triple jump saw Asian Junior Championship medallist Malith Yasiru turning tables on seniors to win.