Thirty-year-old Muththusami Sivarajan, a father of two from Pundaluoya won the Gold Medal at the 46th National Sports Festival (NSF) marathon event held at Kataragama on Friday.
This was the first time that the Airman participated in the NSF marathon after he had been a middle and long-distance runner for the better part of his athletics career.
In fact, it was his coach Sajith Jayalal who encouraged him to be a marathoner and he returned a time of two hours, 29 minutes and 29 seconds to win his maiden title.
Earlier, Sivarajan made an attempt to earn a place in the Sri Lanka Team for the previous South Asian Games (SAG) marathon but pulled out after more than 30km at the trial event held prior to the Games.
Veteran marathoner Tissa Gunasekara finished second in two hours 32 minutes and 14s while Sarath Kumara finished third clocking two hours 33 minutes and 45 seconds.
Meanwhile, Velu Krishanthani from Nuwara Eliya and training under Coach Jansz Dissanayaka, won the Women’s marathon clocking two hours 55.10 seconds.
Young marathoner Wathsala Herath finished second, just dipping under the three-hour mark (2:57.15 seconds) while S. D. Liyanage finished third clocking three hours and 19 seconds.
This was the first marathon held in Sri Lanka in more 20 months.
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka Army athletes Sandaruwan Dunukara and Kalhari Madarika won the Men’s and Women’s race walking titles respectively at the 46th NSF at Kataragama on Saturday.
Dunukara representing North Central Province won the race walking gold medal at the NSF for the fifth successive year.
The 29-year-old who won the event in 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 clocked a winning time of one hour 38.17 seconds.
Earlier, Dunukara recorded a personal best of 1:31.01 seconds when he represented Sri Lanka at the Asian Race Walking Championship which earned him the ninth place.
Madarika representing Western Province won the Women’s race clocking 1:51.19 seconds She made a comeback after having been laid low by dengue for nearly six months.
Earlier, Madarika represented Sri Lanka at the Asian Race Walking Championship in 2018 finishing in 35th position.
She won the Silver Medal at the NSF race walking event in 2013, 2015 and 2018.
The winners of this year’s race walking event are products of renowned coach Nishantha Nayananda who has produced 17 winners during the period 1993 to 2010.
