Western Province takes away the aces
As favourites Western Province clinched the Overall Championship at the 41st National Sports Festival 2015 organised and conducted by the Ministry of Sports which concluded at the Mahinda Rajapaksa Sports Complex in Diyagama last weekend.
Presentation of the Overall Championship by the Minister of Sports
Twenty four sports disciplines were worked off at the Festival where 77 gold medals, 66 silver medals and 53 bronze medals were won by the Overall champs Western Province while the runner-up Central Province won 47 Gold, 33 silver and 57 bronze medals. Western Province by winning 17 gold medals at swimming became the main cause for them to be at the helm and if not for those medals Central Province would have given a firm competition for the championship.
At the Track and Field events where nearly 900 competitors took part Western Province won both men’s and women’s championships. Southern Province finished runner-up by winning 10 gold, 7 silver and 6 bronze medals. Two new Sri Lanka records and 11 meet records were established at this year’s event where N.C.D. Priyadarshani jumping a distance of 6.43mts in the long jump lowered the previous record of 6.30mts while Ayesha Maduwanthi in the women’s hammer throw threw a distance of 43.18mts bettering the previous record of 42.74mts. were responsible in establishing national records.
Manjula Kumara Wijesekera of Southern Province was adjudged the Men’s Best Athlete for clearing a height of 2.19mts in the High Jump to win his sixth successive award from 2010. N.C.D. Priyadarshani of Western Province won the Women’s Best Athlete award for establishing a new Sri Lanka record and beating the South Asian Games record.
Ace sprinter Himasha Eashan of Western Province finished second to V.S. Suranjaya of Southern Province in the 100mts. Himasha with a time of 10.36secs became the second fastest runner in Sri Lanka at a South Asian Final trial but unexpectedly was beaten by Suranga at this meet.
Manjula Kumara (men’s) and N.C.D. Priyadarshani (women’s)
It’s a good sign ahead of the South Asian Games as eleven meet records were lowered at this year’s event mainly due to the hard training done by the athletes in preparation for SA Games. Due to the postponing of the games which was to be held in around August so many promising young athletes were not present due to the O/L examination that was held in December.
Winners of each 24 Festival events were awarded with cash prizes which came overall to a handsome amount of 48 lakhs.
New Meet Records:
(1) Suranjaya De Silva (Southern Province) 10.45secs in the Men’s 100mts. (Previous: 10.47); (2) Suranjaya De Silva (Southern Province) 21.02 in the Men’s 200mts (Previous: 21.28secs) (3) R.M.S. J. Ranasinghe (Sabaragamuwa) 75.91mts in the Javelin Throw (Previous: 73.47mts) (4) M.H.I. Sandaruwan (WP) 4.83mts in the Pole Vault (Previous: 4/72mts) (5) W.K.L.A. Nimali (SP) 2:05.32secsin the Women’s 800mts (Previous: 2:06.65) (6) U.K. Nilani Ratnayake (SGP) 16:50.67secs in the Women’s 5000mts (Previous: 16:51.55); (7) W.P.E.R. Dilrukshi (SP) 59.51secs in the Women’s 400mts Hurdles (Previous 1:00.85); (8) Nadeeka Lakmali (SP) 58.52mts in the Women’s Javelin Throw (Previous: 57.89mts); (9) Vidusha Lakshani (WP) 12.98mts in the Women’s Triple Jump (Previous: 12.95mts); (10) M.C.D. Priyadarshani (WP) 6.43mts in the Women’s Long Jump (Previous: 6.30mts) (11) Ayesha Maduwanthi (Uva) 43.18mts in the Women’s Hammer Throw (Previous 42.74mts)