Athletics: Junior Nationals produce 17 new records in spite of rain

The rains which lashed the Mahinda Rajapaksa Stadium in Diyagama during the last few days did not deter the junior athletes from displaying their talents at the 54th Junior National Athletic Championships. 

Seventeen new records were established including a Sri Lanka record. 

Accordingly 24 (17 boys and 7 girls) athletes for the 17th Asian Junior Athletic Championships in Vietnam from June 2 to 6 was picked. 

Another feature of the meet was that four athletes qualified for the IAAF World Junior Athletic Championships from July 19 to 24 in Poland. 

Prior to this two other athletes had qualified for the meet. 

Altogether six athletes have qualified for the Poland event. 

The qualified athletes are Greshan Dananjaya (St. Joseph Vaz College Wennappuwa – Triple Jump), Chamal Kumarasiri (D.S. Senanayake National School Mirigama – Triple Jump), Udith Chandrasena (Maris Stelle College Negombo – 400 Metres) and Akila Ravihansa (Seevali Central College Ratnapura – 110M Hurdles). 

The other two athletes who had qualified earlier are Umaya Udayangani (Welimada Central College – 400 M) and Yamani Dulanjali (Ambagamuwa Central College – 400 Hurdles).
 
Under-20 Triple Jumper Greshan Dananjaya of St. Joseph Vaz College Wennappuwa was the overall Best Athlete.
 
This is the first time that such a prestigious award was made as a result he won the Sri Lanka Telecom Challenge Trophy. 

This trophy is categorised for both boys and girls and Greshan Dananjaya is the first winner of it. 

Dananjaya cleared the triple distance with 15.78 meters, which is also a new meet record. 

He broke the previous record set up in 1996 by T. Milan Fernando of Maris Stella College Negombo. 

The 54th Junior National Athletic Championships was held four categories with 1,955 athletes from 250 schools taking part. 

Best performances 

Junior National Championships Challenge Trophies 2016 

The Best Athlete in Girls Under-16 Category 
T.M. Madara Piumini Weerasuriya (St. Joseph Balika College Kegalla) for the Performance of 100m – 12.63sec (New Meet Record). 

The Best Athlete in Boys Under-16 Category 
A. Shalika Santhush Weerasinghe (St. Benedict’s College) for the Performance of 200m – 22.55sec (New Meet Record). 

The Best Athlete in Boys Under-18 Category 
S.P.A. Darshana (Weerakappatipola CC Akuramboda) for the Performance of 400m Hurdles – 52.92sec (New Meet Record). 

The Best Athlete in Girls Under-18 Category 
K.G.D.M.S. Kumarasinghe (A Rathnayaka MMV Walala) for the Performance of 800m 2:13.79min (New Meet Record). 

The Best Athlete in Girls Under-20 Category 
Hashini Paboda Balasuriya (Holy Family Balika Vidyalaya Wennappuwa) for the performance of Triple Jump – 12.86m 

The Best Athlete in Boys Under-20 Category 
L.P.G. Dananjaya (Joseph Vaz College) for the Performance of Triple Jump – 15.78m 

The Best Athlete in Girls Under-23 Category 
H.D. Vidusha Lakshani (SL Army) for the Performance of Triple Jump – 13.34m (New Meet Record). 

The Best Athlete in Boys Under-23 Category 
Amila Jayasiri (SL Air Force) for the Performance of Long Jump 7.63m 

The Best Perfomer of the Meet 
L.P.G. Dananjaya (Joseph Vaz College Wennappuwa) for the Under-20 Boys Triple Jump – Distance 15.78m (National Junior Record and Meet Record). 

Records 

New Sri Lanka Record: 01 

Pole Vault Girls U-20, 3.34m, W.G.H.S.K. Darmarathna (A Rathnayake CC Walala)
 
New Meet Records: 14 

Triple Jump Boys U-20, 15.78m, L.P.G. Dananjaya (St. Joseph Vaz College Wennapuwa)
 
Hammer Throw Boys U-20, 34.10m, W.M. Niyomal (Anuradhapura DAA)
 
Hammer Throw Boys U-23, 36.44m, P.K.L. Prabashana (Sri Lanka Army)
 
Triple Jump Girls U-23, 13.34m, H.D.V. Lakshani (Sri Lanka Army)
 
110m Hurdles Boys U-20, 14.19mins (0.6secs), A.V.G.A. Ravishanka (Sivali CC Ratnapura) 

800m Girls U-18, 2:13.79secs, K.G.D.M.S. Kumarasinghe (A Rathnayake CC Walala)
 
800m Girls U-23, 2:09.26secs, R. Nadeesha (Sri Lanka Army)
 
400m Hurdles Boys U-18, 52.92secs, S.P.A. Darshana (Weerakeppetipola CC Akuramboda)
 
400m Hurdles Boys U-20, 52.22secs, Uditha Chandrasena (Maris Stella College Negombo)
 
200m Boys U-16, 22.55secs, A. Shalika Santhush Weerasinghe (St. Benedict's College Colombo)
 
200m Boys U-20, 21.73secs, S. Ratwatte (Trinity College Kandy)
 
200m Boys U-23, 21.60secs, K.S.L. Wickramasinghe (Sri Lanka Army)
 
Long Jump Boys U-20, 7.41m (+0.1), L.P.G. Dananjaya (St. Joseph Vaz College Wennapuwa)
 
Javelin Throw Girls U-20, 42.12m, R.S.T. Iransha Kavindi (Kuliyapitiya CC)

Equal Meet Records: 2 

Pole Vault Boys U-23, 4.70m, M.H.I. Sandaruwan (Sri Lanka Air Force)
 
High Jump Boys U-18, 2.06m, Sapan Senarathne (Lyceum Internationa School Wattala)