Under 22 age category included in Sir John Tarbat Senior Athletics Championship

by Reemus Fernando  

Sri Lanka Schools Athletics Association has included the Under 22 age category to the Sir John Tarbat Senior Athletics Championship when the major track and field event makes a return after a lapse of two years. The higher age category is introduced to provide an opportunity to the athletes who could not compete in the Under 20 age category due to the absence of the meet during the last two years.

One of the major schools track and field championships of the country, the Sir John Tarbat Senior Athletics Championship was not held during the last two years due to the Covid 19 pandemic.

The absence of the championship meant that those who were to take part in the Under 20 age category during the last two years left schools without competing in the senior most age category.  The other two major championships, namely, the All Island Schools Games conducted by the Ministry of Education and the Junior National Athletics Championship too were not held during the last two years.

Achievements at these championships are recognized when applying for universities, teacher training schools and other private and public institutions.

“We decided to include the Under 22 age category to give an opportunity to those who left schools during the last two years without having to take part in the Under 20 age category competitions,” Chaminda Perera the treasurer of the Sri Lanka Schools Athletics Association told The Island.

With the inclusion of the Under 22 age category the athletes born in the years 2001 and 2002 will be eligible to compete in the Senior Championship.

The Sir John Tarbat Senior Athletics Championship will be held from September 13 to 16 at Diyagama.

Meanwhile, the Sir John Tarbat Junior Athletics Championship too will be held this year with the first stage of the competition being scheduled for August and the final phase in December.

The first phase events of the Southern, Sabaragamuwa and Uva Provinces will be held from August 5-7 at Embilipitiya, while the Northern, North Central, North Western, Eastern and Central province competitions of that phase will be held  from August 12 to 14 at Anuradhapura. The first phase of the highly competitive Western Province will be held at Bandaragama from August 19 to 21.

The final phase of the Junior Championships will be held from December 8 to 10.