Samarajeewa and Shamali win National Cross Country championships
Long distance runner Lionel Samarajeewa of Central Province provided a hat-trick at the 27th National Cross Country championships held on May 7 in Nuwara Eliya. Lionel was the winner of this event in 2014, 2015 and in 2016. L.H Shamali Anusha of Uva province won the women’s championship. She took part in the event after a four year lapse. Both Lionel and Shamali were Bronze Medal winners at the South Asian Games held in India. It was organised as the first event of the 42nd National Sports Festival, conducted by the Ministry of Sports and was held at the Race Course ground in Nuwara Eliya.
The event was part of the Inter-Province level championship and 116 male and female participants took part. The total distance was 10km. Lionel Samarajeewa, the winner of men’s event completed the race in 32:49:04 sec while Shamali Anusha, the winner of the women’s event finished the race in 37:49:18 sec. Lionel Samarajeewa took part as the defending champion of this event and Shamali Anusha was in the race for the first time. The men’s championship was won by Uva province while the women’s championship was won by Western province as well.
Results
Men’s: 1. Lionel Samarajeewa (Central. 32:49:04sec), 2.Eranda Tennakoon (Uva. 33:02:06 sec), 3.G.P.A.K Bandara (Central. 33:25:89 sec), 4. R.A.P.D Arunasiri (North Central. 33:26:11sec), 5. K.G.R Samankumara (Uva. 33:47:11 sec).
Women’s: 1. L.H Shamali Anusha (Uva. 37:49:18 sec), 2.A.N Lanka Ariyadasa (Sabaragamuwa. 39:42:59 sec), 3. V.Krishanthani (Central.
40:08:44sec), 4. K.M.S.M Wickramasooriya (Central. 40:18:51 sec), 5. Manjula Kumarasinghe (Western. 40:36:07 sec)