Nethmika and Sachintha brighten day one

All Island Schools Games Athletics Championships

by Reemus Fernando

Jumper Nethmika Madushani Herath of Nannapurava MV, Bibila and thrower Thareen Sachintha of St. Peter’s College, Bambalapitiya produced outstanding feats as they reached their personal best performances on day one of the All Island Schools Games Athletics Championships at the Sugathadasa Stadium on Friday.The Asian Youth Athletics Championship participant Herath missed the meet record of the Under 18 girls’ triple jump by just five centimetres but she managed to reach her personal best with an outstanding 11.96 metres performance.

The national junior record holder of the long jump event will be competing in two other events during this meet. She came to the meet with an added feather on her cap after obtaining top grades for her O/L exam (8As, 1B).Thurstan College sprinter who obtained nine ‘A’s at the recently held exam also made his presence felt qualifying from the Under 18 boys’ 400 metres.

St. Peter’s thrower Thareen Sachintha hurled the javelin to a distance of 60.02 metres to win the Under 18 boys’ event. With his notable feat Sachintha has helped his school keep the first place of this event in their possession since 2019.The day one witnessed two new meet records being established with Ovini Chandrasekara of Bishop’s College and Uvindu Sudaraka of Rahula College, Matara creating new marks in the Under 20 girls’ and boys’ shot put events.

Chandrasekara was the only athlete to break the 12 metres barrier as she cleared 12.72 metres to win. Asvitha Sundaresan of OKI International, Kelaniya was placed second with a feat of 10.62 metres, while St. Bridget’s Convent athlete Kavya Jayasooriya cleared 10.19 metres.

Sudharaka’s new meet record mark was 15.43 metres. Boys from Jaffna made a clean sweep in the Under 20 boys’ pole vault. S. Kobisan of Hindu College, Jaffna won with a feat of 4.10 metres. J. Kasmithan of Mahajana College (3.90m) and I. Abinayan of Arunodaya College (3.70m) were placed second and third respectively.

Oshini wins third consecutive title

Promising jumper Oshini Kodikara of St. Lawrence’s Convent, Wellawatta won her third consecutive age group title of the year when she cleared 5.50 metres to win the Under 16 girls’ long jump event. She was the winner of both the Junior National Championship and the Sir John Tarbat Senior Athletics Championships which were held early this year.

Pavani Uthpala of Manampitiya Sinhala MV, Dimbulagala (Under 16 girls’ discus throw 28.41m) and S. Thirubashitha of S. Thomas’ Preparatory School, Colombo (Under 14 boys’ high jump 1.74 metres) were the winners of the other events. Sandil Hettiarachchi of Colombo International also cleared 1.74 metres in the Under 14 boys’ high jump.