Gampaha crowned overall champs
Gampaha District won the Overall Championship with 160 points at the 27th Youth National Sports Festival Track and Field events concluded at the Mahinda Rajapaksa Sports Complex in Diyagama last weekend.
Amitha Kushan Pathiraja won the Men’s Over-20 High Jump event - Pix by Ranjith Perera
Kurunegala District finished second with 111 points while Colombo District occupied the third spot with 99 points. Sporadic rains during the three days of the meet never disturbed the determination and courage of the young athletes to establish 12 new meet records to bring honour for their respective districts.
L.W.C. Kumarasiri of Gampaha District was adjudged the Best Athlete in the Boys Under-20 category for his triple jump of 15.67m and the Best Girl Athlete in the Under-20 category was won by H.D.V. Lakshani of the champion district Gampaha, clearing a distance of 12.84m in the Triple Jump.
K.D. Sandaruwan also from Gampaha District with a jump of 7.78m was named the Best Athlete in the Men’s Over-20 category. R.M.C. Subahani of Kurunegala District was adjudged the Best Woman Athlete in the Over-20 category for her sprint of 54.31secs in the 400m event.
The winners Gampaha District were awarded a cash prize of Rs. 150,000/- along with trophies while runner-up Kurunegala District received Rs. 100,000/- along with the trophies.
The record holders were presented with gold medals and Rs. 10,000/- each in cash. The four champion athletes in the Boys and Girls categories were rewarded with motorcycles.
Hamesha Thanuja Kumari went on to win the Girls Long Jump event
More than 3000 athletes from all over the country took part in this three-day mega event which was declared open by Ruwan Wijewardene, the State Minister of Defence, in a colourful opening ceremony last Friday. The closing ceremony was graced by Telecommunications and Digital Infrastructure Minister Harin Fernando.
Following athletes established meet records at the 27th edition:
Boys Under-20: Sachin Perera (Colombo District) 200mts – 22.16secs; G.M.C. Kushantha (Badulla District) 800mts – 1:56.76secs; S.A.D.K.L. Samarasinghe (Gampaha District) 400mts – 48.67secs; K.K.L. Pramod (Kalutara District) 10,000mts – 32:53.93secs; K.A.P. Jayawardene (Puttlam District) Discuss Throw – 47.85mts; Gampaha District 4×400 Relay – 3:22.30secsL.W.C. Kumarasiri (Gampaha District) Triple Jump – 15.67mts
Mens Over-20: R.M.S.J. Ranasinghe (Kegalle District) Javelin Throw – 74.84mts G.K.D. Sandaruwan (Gampaha District) Long Jump – 7.78mts; Gampaha District 4×400 Relay – 3:16.53secs
Girls Under-20: B.S. Dulakshi (Gampaha District) 100mts – 15.50secs
Women Over-20: R.M.C. Subhashini (Kurunegala District) 400mts – 54.31secs
Final standings (districts): (1) Gampaha 160, (2) Kurunegala 111, (3) Colombo 99, (4) Puttlam 93, (5) Kegalle 64, (6) Ratnapura 63, Kalutara 54, Ur/Youth 46, (9) Badulla 32, (11) Galle 25, (12) Jaffna 24, (13) Nuwara Eliya 22, (14) Hambantota 19, (15) Anuradhapura 16, (16) Kandy 15, (17) Batticaloa 12, (18) Monaragala 12, (19) Trincomalee 11, (20) Ampara 09, (21) Vavuniya 07, (22) Matale 07, (23) Polonnaruwa 07, (24) Mannar 05, (25) Killinochchi 02, (26) Mulativu 02.