Athletics: Maris Stella and Walala A. Ratnayake win overall titles at 86th John Tarbat Championship

Maris Stella College Negombo and Walala A. Ratnayake Central won the overall championship titles respectively in Boys and Girls segments at the 86th Sir John Tarbat Athletics Championship, which ended at the Diyagama Stadium in Homagama on Thursday (15).

Maris Stella obtained a total of 141 points to finish ahead of A. Rathnayake National School (75) and St. Benedict’s College (74) who emerged second and third respectively.   
 
A. Rathnayake National School (228) finished well ahead in the Girls overall championship followed by the runners-up Ambagamuwa MMV (99) and Sumana Balika MV (79) respectively. 
 
Ushan Thiwanka of Maris Stella and Ridma Nishadi of Dharmasoka College Ambalangoda were named Boys and Girls Best Athlete respectively.   

Anitha Jagathiswaran of Mahajana College Thelippalai, Jaffna had the honour of establishing the only Sri Lanka record at the meet. 
 
She produced an effort of 3.35 metres in the Under-20 Girls Pole Vault final and erased the previous record of 3.34 metres held by Harshani Dharmaratne of Walala A. Rathnayake Central. 
 
Altogether, a total of 12 meet records were shattered and one equalled where over 2,000 athletes from over 350 schools participated.  
 
The Under-20 events were considered as Selection Trials for the Third South Asian Senior Athletics Championships which will be held on October 19 and 20 in Lucknow, India.    
 
The meet was sponsored by Ritzbury.       
 
Age Group Championships:  

Under-16 Girls: Champions - Holy Cross College Gampaha, runner-up -    A. Rathnayake NS

Under-16 Boys: Champions - Maris Stella, runner-up - Royal College Colombo 

Under-18 Girls: Champions -     A. Rathnayake NS, runner-up - Gateway College Rajagiriya

Under-18 Boys: Champions - A. Rathnayake NS, runner-up - St. Benedict’s College 

Under-20 Girls: Champions -     Ambagamuwa MV, runner-up - A. Rathnayake NS 
 
Under-20 Boys: Champions - Maris Stella, runner-up - St. Rita’s College Thaldeka

Field Event Championship Girls: Champions - Ave Maria Convent Negombo, runner-up - Mahajana College Thelippalai

Field Event Championship Boys: Champions - Maris Stella College, runner-up - Loyola College  

Track Event Championship Girls: Champions - A. Rathnayake NS, runner-up -    Ambagamuwa MMV

Track Event Championship Boys: Champions - Maris Stella, runner-up -    A. Rathnayake NS

Relay Championship Girls: Champions - A, Rathnayake NS, runner-up Sir. John Kotelawala MV

Relay Championship Boys: Champions - St. Benedict’s College, runner-up - Maris Stella 

Best Long Jumper: Nipun Caldera (Loyola College Daluwakotuwa)

Best High Jumper: Ushan Thiwanka (Maris Stella)  Best 400m Runner: P. W. M. G. Tharusha Dananjaya (Lumbini) 

Best Athlete of the Year 2016 Girls: K. K. Ridma  Nishadi (Dharmasoka Ambalangoda)

Best Athlete of the Year 2016 Boys: Ushan Thiwanka (Maris Stella)    

Outstation Overall Championship Girls: Champions - Ambagamuwa MMV 99, runner-up Sumana Balika MV 79
 
Outstation Overall Championship Boys: Champions - A. Rathnayake NS 75, runner-up -    Trinity 44

Overall Championship Girls: Champions - A. Rathnayake NS 228, runner-up - Ambagamuwa  MMV 99

Overall Championship Boys: Champions - Maris Stella 141, runner-up A. Rathnayake NS 75