Nadeesha, Kalinga win two titles each

98th National Athletics Championship- Day IV

by Reemus Fernando

Sprinters Nadeesha Ramanayake and Kalinga Kumarage completed their comeback in grand style as they added 400 metres wins to the 200 metres titles they had already won on the final day of the 98th National Athletics Championship at the Sugathadasa Stadium on Tuesday.

In the most looked forward to events of the day Ramanayake and Kumarage took advantage of their strong sprint starts to win the women’s and men’s 400 metres titles.

Southerner Ramanayake had only one competitor challenging her during the last 100 metres as she returned a time of 53.47 seconds to win. South Asian Games gold medallist Dilshi Kumarasinghe who accelerated only in the last 200 metres settled for silver in a time of 53.81 seconds. Incidentally, it was Kumarasinghe who compensated for Ramanayake’s absence at the SA Games when the latter had to withdraw from competition after being diagnosed with dengue.

Kumarage who was making a return after two years after a Disciplinary Committee cleared him of doping charges, clocked 46.25 seconds to win the 400 metres title. The defending champion and South Asian Games gold medallist Aruna Dharshana had to settle for bronze in a time of 47.06 seconds while the silver was grabbed by Rajitha Rajakaruna (47.02 secs).

Former national record holder Sanjaya Jayasinghe made a notable 16.32 metres feat to beat defending champion and favourite Sreshan Dananjaya for gold in the triple jump.

In the exhausting 10,000 metres in the morning Nimesha Nandasena clocked 35:21.11 seconds to win gold followed by K.M. Malinda and Lanka Ariyadasa, the winner of the 5000 metres.

Air Force athlete A.A. Lakshika with a throw of 43.02 metres was the winner of the women’s hammer throw while Army’s Sisira Kumara won the corresponding men’s event with a throw of 50.73 metres.

Gayanthika Abeyratne led from the start to clinched the gold in the women’s 1500 metres. She missed the national record held by her long time rival Nimali Liyanarachchi by two seconds. Nilani Ratnayake and Liyanarachchi finished second and third respectively. Saman Kumara Fernando was the winner of the men’s 1500 metres as he returned a time of 3:47.86 seconds.

Despite not in his best form national record holder Ajith Kumara Karunathilaka had hardly any trouble in defending the decathlon title. He aggregated 7059 points.