Nirmali, Dulanjana, Vihari hog limelight at Junior National Championships

by Reemus Fernando

The four-day Junior National Athletics Championships helped athletes from Wickramabahu Central College, Gampola hog the limelight once again and prove that the promise they showed at last year’s trials was no fluke.

The girls from Gampola trained by Buddhika Nuwan returned home with a rich haul of medals at the championship concluded at the Sugathadasa Stadium on Friday.

Nirmali Wickramasinghe and Dulanjana Pradeepani made their debut at national junior level at the Youth Trial held in November 2021 and they continued to make strong performances at the top junior event last week.

Nirmali clinched three golds, winning the Under 18 girls’ 800 metres, 1500 metres and the 3,000 metres. She returned a time of 2:13.50 seconds in the 800 metres and clocked 4:45.56 seconds for her 1500 metres victory. She dominated the 3,000 metres winning the event by nearly 30 seconds from her closest rival.

A team silver medallist at the South Asian Cross Country Championship 2022, Nirmali is in her first year in the Under 18 age category. She was the youngest member of the Sri Lanka team at the South Asian Cross Country Championships and her experience at the event in India seems to have augured well for her budding career.

Dulanjana was the runners up to Nirmali in all above events and bagged the gold in the Under 18 girls’ 2000m steeplechase. She returned a time of 8:01.98 seconds for her gold. In the 400 metres hurdles she had to settle for the bronze.

Vihari Ranasinghe who competed in the Under 23 age category also won two medals. She was the runner up to World Junior Championship participant Shanika Lakshani in the 800 metres (2:13.69 secs) and the 1,500 metres (4:57.26 secs).

The rich haul of medals was a huge accomplishment for their coach Nuwan Buddhika who formed the athletics team of the school after receiving his first appointment as a schools coach.

“This was my first Junior National Championship as a coach. I am proud of the achievements of my athletes,” Buddhika a former athlete of Ratnayaka Central, Walala told The Island.