Records continue to tumble into day 3 at schools athletics

By Dhammika Ratnaweera

Sri Lanka school athletes continued to impress into the third day bettering eight more records to make it 22 new records being established after three days in the ongoing All Island Schools Games continued at the Sugathadasa Stadium on Wednesday. The meet will conclude on Friday with the presence of President Maitreepala Sirisena.

Sanjana Edirisinghe of President College, Nawala set up two new meet records competing in the under-16 girls’ 400m event created a new meet record of 56.91 secs and went on to better her own previous meet record which she set up last year in the U-16 girls 200m event clocking 25.68 secs.

Peterite Hirusha Hashen, fancied runner in the under-16 100m events was stunned by Rasni Ahamad of Al Irshan MMV Polgahawela who beat him to take top spot clocking 11.16secs which is a new meet record. Risni erased the previous record of 11.24secs by Shehan Rajapakse of St Benedict’s set up in 2014. Hirusha Hashen secured second place and S Malewana of Mahinda College, Galle was placed third.

In the boys under-12 100m, Sanjula Wijeyasuriya set up a new meet record clocking 13.59secs and in the U14 100m event, Ayesh Miranga registered a new meet record clocking 11.89 secs.

Two new meet records were established in different age categories in the 400m boys’ events. Dulen Kularatne of Royal College took 49.95 secs to create a U-16 400m record and Malshan Silva of St Sebastian’s shattered the U18 400m record clocking 48.16 secs.

Representing Central Province M.D.Wijeyaratne of Anuradha Kumara MMV set up a new meet record in the 1500m clocking 4:05.57 secs. In the Girls U12 100m event Bhagya Dewmini established a new meet record clocking 13.88 secs and Shenella Seneviratne of Lycuem Nugegoda setup a new record in the U14 girls’ 100m clocking 12.84 secs.

Milani Romeka of Ave Maria Convent, Negombo created a new meet record in the Girl’s Under 14 long Jump clearing a distance of 5.07m. Dulumi Ruwansa of Holy Family Convent was placed second and A S Nimsara of Ambagamuwa C.C. Udabulathgama was placed third.

Western Province has taken the lead in the overall points table with Central second and North Western Province third at the end of third day.