Palitha Gunawardene crowned the Best Performer
An athlete in action - Pic by Priyantha Wickramaarachchi
K.A. Palitha Rasika Gunawardene was crowned the Best Performer at the 29th AIDEX Sports Festival for Jaipur Limb Users at the Stanley Jansz Park, Colombo 2, yesterday.
This year’s edition was organised by the Jaipur Foot Programme of The Colombo Friend-in-Need Society to commemorate its 187th anniversary.
Over 400 athletes island-wide gathered to Colombo for this annual event which was worked off in 63 events. A day of entertainment and fun made the event colourful with proud winners walking away with their awards. Among participants were members of the forces and civilians who have undergone amputations of limbs following conflict, traffic accidents, infections, specially in diabetic patients and children born with limb defects.
Gunawardene was adjudged for his performance in winning three events in Putt Shot Above Knee, Discuss Throw Below Knee and Archery Above/Below Knee events.
A big round of applause was given to the Best Under 15 male and female winners of Prof. A.F. Sheriffdin award, Manoj Ratnayake and J.M. Ayodya Dananjani. Ratnayake excelled in the Boys Under 15 100m Below Knee and Bicycle Race Below/Above events. Dananjani won the 100m Below Knee and Long Jump Below Knee events.
M.R.M. Rishad won the Male Best Athlete Under 50 age category while Niluka Damayanthi won in the Women’s category. Rashid emerged victorious in the Male 200m Above Knee and Long Jump Above Knee events while Damayanthi stood above the others in the Putt Shot Below and Discuss Throw Above/Below Knee competitions.
D.M. Jayasiri (Putt Shot Below/Above, Bicycle Race 1km. Below/Above Knee)) and Kamala Kalutotage (100m Bilateral and 200m Bilateral)) were adjudged the Best Male and Female athletes in in the Over 50 events respectively.