Sahan keeps Lion flag flying
Sahan Rajapakshe an athlete from St. Benedict’s College kept the Sri Lankan flag flying with his dazzling performance at the recently concluded Thailand Open Junior Athletic Championship. This young sprinter won the 100 metres Gold Medal with a time of 11.05 Sec. in equaling the existing meet record.
He was 00.01 behind the record held by the Thailand athlete which was 11.04 sec. 160 competitors from 55 countries took part in this event. According to the school authorities Sahan comes from his native town of Kurunegala and joined St.Benedict’s College in Grade 6 under the custody of Rev .Bro. Granville who was the Director of the College. At the time he joined St. Benedict’s College he was known as a long jumper.
However his coaches at St. Benedict’s College recognised his talents and instructed him to take up to sprint events where he showed immense talent. He ranks no 1 in the 100 metres Under-16 age category. He is also one of the key members of the senior 4 x100 metres relay team which shattered many school records and also rated among the top three sprinters in the 200 metres under 16 age group in the country. He has also won many sprint events in under 12 and 13 age groups at public schools meets.
His unique feats include:
Under 15 best Athlete with new meet record in 100 metres (11.02 sec) at the Western Province School Games 2014.
All Island Schools Games 2014 Under-15 100 metres Gold Medalist (11.24 sec) establishing a new Sri Lanka record in Under-15 category. Shattered the Under-15 record twice while improving the record held by Ananadian Arosh Kariyawasam in 2011 in the semi-finals he clocked 11.24 seconds to further improve his timing in the finals.
In the Sir John Tarbat Senior Athletic Championship 2014,Sahan was the main anchor leading the St. Benedict’s College team to set a new meet record of 44.41sec in the Under-16 boys relay. They erased the previous meet record of 44.86 sec. setup by St. Benedict’s College in 2008.
Sahan was placed 1st in the 100 metres clocking 11.07 while being an under sixteener at the First Junior Athletic Championship 2015. At the Junior Nationals 2015 -Sahan clocked 11.11 seconds to set up a new meet record in the boys Under-16 100 metres event.
At the Western Province school Games 2014 he clocked an impressive 10.89 seconds to win the Under-17 boys’ 100 metres to establish a new meet record and won the Best Athlete’s title in the Under-17 age category. Sahan was the main stay in their relay team which established new meet records in 4×100 meters relay.
Sir John Tarbet Senior Championship 2015 – Gold medalist in the 100 metres. Member of the 4×100 relay team which established a new meet record. He is being coached by energetic I. D. Premasiri ( Head Coach) and Nuwan Abeywickrema ( Junior Coach and Master-In-Charge). Rev. Bro. Pravin Vaz (Sports co-ordinator)
Sahan’s father Noel Rajapakshe who hails from Gampaha too was an outstanding athlete and had won many trophies at Public Schools meets for winning the 400m event on many occasions. This young bright athletic star is sure to shine brightly to put Sri Lanka on top of athletic map not only in Asia but also at the Commonwealth Games and Olympics in the very near future.
As Sri Lanka facing a massive medal drought in athletics it is the duty of the authorities concerned to look after talented athletes as they are the future Duncan Whites and Susanthika Jayasinghes who made this little island a force to be reckoned with internationally.