TEN ATHLETES ALMOST CERTAIN TO IN THE YOUTH ASIAN TEAM

Ten Youth (Under18) athletes are likely to make the Asian Youth Team through individual brilliance as they made impressive performances, despite tight schedules and lack of rest between events in the one day trail worked off at the Sugathadasa stadium .

The Athletics Association of Sri Lanka (AASL) made some tough qualification standards, some even better than the present Asian Youth Championship record for the event yet SL athletes faced the challenged bravely as nine of them came very close to achieving it while discus thrower Rumesh Tharanga of St.Peter’s College went past it.

Tharanga who missed out in the Javelin throw qualification mark with a 63.48m throw came back in the afternoon for the discus throw and threw 51.90m, achieving the qualification standard of 51.00m.

In short sprinting, Gateway College athlete Sadeepa Henderson following in the footsteps of her elder sister excelled in both the 100m and the 200m eyeing her first overseas competition clocking 12.26 seconds just missing the qualification standard of 12.25 seconds in the 100m . In 200m she clocked 25.07 seconds again missing it by just 0.7 seconds of the pre set qualification time of 25.00 seconds and she is likely to make the cut from both 100m and 200m for the Asian Youth event. Her 100m of 12.07 seconds is equal to the bronze medal winner of the last edition, China’s Gong Luying’s time.

Milinda Perera of St. Mary’s College Chilaw excelled in the boys 100m and 200m and he is also likely to make the cut in both events. Perera clocked 10.80 seconds in the 100m well within the qualification time of 10.88 seconds but favourable wind of plus 3.1 meant his performance will not be going into the record books as a legal performance but it was enough for him to earn the qualification. Also, he clocked 22.22 seconds in the 200m making himself ready for both the events.

In the other event of the day Amesha Hettiarachchi from Viharamahadevi BC Kandy excelled in the 400m hurdles. Competing in the event barely an hour after 400m heats, Amesha clocked 01.02.45 seconds which is just 0.45 seconds short of the qualifying time yet she is likely to be in the team.

In the middle distance event , Shanika Lakshani of Holy Cross College Gampaha clocked 2 minutes 16.64 seconds in the 800m and 4 minutes 43.65 seconds in the 1500m coming very close to achieving the qualification standards of both the events. Even though she was devastated about her failure to achieve the 800m qualifying time of 2:13.50 seconds which is even tougher than the meet record of 2:14.15 seconds will not affect much as AASL will include her for the both events.

High Jumper from Ibbagamuwa CC Ishara Pallegama leapt 1.69m competing alone in the event but since she had achieved the qualification standards of 1.71m last year and given that she was the only competitor in the event she will also be included in the team .

Quarter miler Isuru Abeywardana of Ananda Shashthralaya Mathugama came very close to achieving the qualification standard of 48.65 by clocking 48.77 seconds in the heats. Even though many expected him to go beyond 48.65 seconds in the finals he was beaten by Navishka Sandesh with a 49.15 seconds performance in the evening. But AASL is likely to select both athletes for the competition keeping their eye on the medley relay events.

Medley relay will include legs of 100m, 200m leg , 300m and 400m where Milinda Fernando is likely to run the 200m with Navishka and Isuru running the 300m and 400m laps. 100m lap is likely to be run by St.Peter’s sprinter Hirusha Abeysekara who finished second in the 100m. Hence Hirusha who leaps 7.11m in the long jump. Just 89cm behind qualifying standard of 7.20m is also likely to be included for the long jump given he has had leapt 7.19m by last year.

Kavindi Edirisinghe of Janadhipathi BC Nawala clocked 57.84 seconds in the 400m , short of the qualifying standard of  56.25 seconds but is likely to make the team.   Given that Sadeepa (200m) and Kavindi (400m ) are already included in the team AASL may be looking to select girl’s Medley relay team too where 400m hurdler Amesha could fill in the 300m lap with Dulmi Dahanayaka of Lyceum International school who finished second in the 100m being the only additional athlete needed to make the relay team .

High Jumper Roshen Dulmin of St. Mary’s College Chilaw who leapt 2.00m may also has an outside chance of making the team even though he failed to achieve qualifying standard of 2.05m . If all of them will be included the team will only comprise of 12 athletes even though they will cover 16 events at the meet. AASL earlier stated that the quota which they have received is only for 7 athletes but is likely to add more athletes with good performances if the Sports ministry accepts the funding for the additional athletes. Since it’s only five additional athletes the Ministry may look favourably to give them the chance to eye the Asian Youth medals.  The Asian Youth Athletics championship will be held in Hong Kong from March 15 to 17.