Athletics: Poor show for Marathon race of National Sports Festival

The men’s and women’s marathons of the 42nd National Sports Festival held at Kuliyapitiya on Saturday (20), conducted by the Sports Ministry, were the worst ever as Mahesh Gunatilleke and Manjula Kumarasinghe bagged the top spots. 

Most of the reputed marathon runners skipped the event and only 60 male runners and 20 women took part in the event. 

This was the lowest number of runners that took part in the history of the marathon organised by the Sports Ministry, which is the number one marathon in Sri Lanka. 

Normally 10 men and six women from each province take part in the marathon and experts say the reason for this major setback was the ill-timing of the event. 

The Defence Services marathon had just been concluded and most of the reputed marathon runners who took part in it were tired. 

Furthermore the LSR Marathon is looming in the near future which gives handsome cash awards according to the Deputy Sports Director, Department of Sports Development I.P. Wijeratne. 

It has been a regular habit to get the media involved but this time the media was not invited. 

This too happened for the first time in the history of the Sports Festival and this points out to a weak link in the administration of the organisers. 

The first place in the men’s marathon was won by Mahesh Gunatilleke of the Western Province with a time 2:27.27 seconds. 

The second place went to T.G.L.D. Alahakone of Central Province whose time was 2:29.11 seconds. 

The third place went to G.K.K.S.T. Gunasekera of Western Province with a time of 2:31.08 seconds.
 
In the women’s marathon Manjula Kumarasinghe of Western province was first with a time of 2:58.19 seconds. 

B.G.L.A. Bogahawatte of Central Province was second with a time of 2:58.50 seconds and M.A.M. Kumari Fernando of Western Province was third with a time of 3:07.21 seconds. 

The winners of both the men’s and women’s marathons received cash awards amounting to Rs. 25,000 (first place), second placed winners Rs. 20,000 and third placed winner Rs. 15,000 each.