Karunawansa sets up new Sri Lanka record in women’s pole vault

SAJEEWA JAYAKODY

Eastern Province’s A A Karunawansa set a new Sri Lanka record in the women’s pole vault event on the first day of the 38th National Sports Festival held at the Sugathadasa Stadium yesterday.

Karunawansa leaped 3.30 metres erasing the previous record of 3.25m set by Lakrani Perera in Sri Lankan Athletic League in Diyagama in April this year.

T A Abeyratne of Southern Province established a new National Sports Festival record in the 5000m event clocking 16:51.44 seconds. Abeyratne broke the previous record of 17.00.40 set by D A Inoka of Central Province in 2006. Sujeewa Nilmini Jayasena holds the Sri Lanka record in the 5000m event as she clocked 16:21.18 in 2003 in Colombo.

In the day’s ultimate event, North Western Province’s M C Dilrukshi clocked 2:07.10 to set another new meet record in the 800m event. Dilrukshi erased the previous best mark of 2:08.00 established by H M Priyadarshani of Southern Province in 2000.

The 38th National Sports Festival was officially declared open by President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage also participated at the colourful opening ceremony.

The Olympic torch was lit by the Sri Lanka’s ace middle-distance runner Jayamini Illeperuma and Javalin thrower Pradeep Nishantha.

Ten final events are scheduled for today, the second day of the three-day national games starting with the men’s pole vault event at 8.30am.

Final results:

[Men’s]

800m: 1 I M Herath (Central Province) 1.56.61, 2 M P Amarasiri (Central Province) 1.57.11, 3 P H Chamal (Southern Province) 1.57.13.

4x100m: 1 Southern Province 40.43sec, 2 Central Province 41.85sec, 3 North Central Province 41.99sec.

Javelin throw: D S Ranasinghe (Southern) 67.98m, 2 S J Ranasinghe (Sabaragamuwa) 66.94m, 3 P K Ranatunga (Western) 65.75m.

10000m: D L Samarajeewa (Central) 30.38.47sec, 2 M C Chathuranga (Uva) 30.54.06sec, 3 A S Ratnayake (Sabaragamuwa) 31.10.30.

[Women’s]

800m: 1 M C Dilrukshi (North Western) 2:07.10sec, 2 A S Samanmali (North Western) 2:08.85sec, 3 A D Sandakanthi (Southern Province) 2:08.89sec.

4x100: 1 Western Province 47.63sec, 2 Southern Province 48.21sec, 3 North Western Province 48.27sec.

Discus Throw: 1 S K Weerasekera (North Central) 42.90m, 2 A A Maduwanthi (Uva) 42.83m, 3 Amanthi Silva (Western Province) 40.03m.

Pole Vault: 1 A A Karunawansa (Eastern Province) 3.30m, 2 K L Perera (Western) 3.20m, 3 S C Dilrukshi (North Central) 3.10m.

Triple Jump: 1 C D Priyadarshani (Western) 12.38m, 2 M B Thilakaratne (North Western) 12.26m, 3 D D Erandi (Southern) 12.22m.

5000m: 1 T A Abeyratne (Southern) 16:51.55sec, 2 N G Rajasekera (Western) 16:54.66sec, 3 A T Hemamalee (Sabaragamuwa) 17:29.65sec.