Sivarajan wins on debut, Krishanthini clinches second title

National Sports Festival Marathon

Muththusami Sivarajan and Velu Krishanthini won the men’s and women’s marathon titles respectively of the National Sports Festival 2020 held at Kataragama on Friday.

Competing in his first national marathon, Sivarajan returned a time of two hours, 29 minutes and 29 seconds to cross the finish line. Sivarajan took up the grueling road event two and a half years ago under the guidance of Sajith Jayalal.

Sivarajan made an attempt to earn a place in the team for the last South Asian Games marathon but pulled out after more than 30 kilometres at the trial event held prior to the Games.

Former Champion Tissa Gunasekara finished nearly three minutes later to settle for the runner up award. W.M.S. Kumara finished third.

Despite the heat that battered runners, sailor Velu Krishanthini produced her personal best time to win the women’s title. The athlete trained by Jansz Dissanayake clocked two hours, 55 minutes and 30 seconds. It was Krishanthini’s second national marathon title.

She won the national marathon for the first time when the event was held in Trincomalee in 2014.

G.W.M. Herath clocked two hours, 57 minutes and 15 seconds to finish second. (RF)

Results:

Men’s: 1. M. Sivarajan 2.29:29 H.m:s, 2. Tissa Gunasekara 2.32:14, 3. W.M.S. Kumara 2.33:45.

Women’s:

1. Velu Krishanthini 2.55:30, 2. G.W.M. Herath 2.57:15, Dilhani Liyanage 3.00:19.