Olympian Javelin thrower Nadeeka Lakmali finished her career with a gold medal when she was placed first in the women’s Javelin Throw event of the 47 th National Sports Games held at Sugathadasa Stadium yesterday .
The 43 year old Nadeeka representing Southern Province had a distance of 51.84 m to be placed first while H.P.P.H Maduwanthi of Uva Province finished second with 50.39 m and third place won by D.M.I Hasanthi of Eastern Province with 42.89m.
Nadeeka Lakmali coached by Pathmakumara Ranathunga who himself was a former National javelin thrower had a good chance to pass the 55m mark but her final attempt was a foul throw yesterday finally satisfied with a gold medal was able to pass 50m mark .”Actually I wanted to have a grand farewell to my 23 year athletic career and I did it in grand style said former Olympic thrower Nadeeka Lakmali . I entered the final round of the world athletic championship in 2014 after Susanthika Jayasinghe . However after world championship I couldn’t reach my my rhythm due to my leg injury .I had my National record until last month but now the time has come to step down from athletics said Army warrant officer Nadeeka Lakmali who hails from Elpitiya .
Meanwhile I.G.K.I Lakvijaya of Western Province excelled on the day two of the National Games when he set up new meet5 record of 110m men’s hurdle heat and he has good chance to improve his timing today at the final of the 110 hurdles which is scheduled to be commence at 2.30pm . The coach of Lakvijaya former Asian Medalist Asoka Jayasundara said he has good confidence about this promising hurdler . Lakvijaya was set up 13.72 seconds new National record at last Athletic National championship while he did yesterday with new meet record of 14.18 seconds and most probably he will enter record books once again today . Lakvijaya from Kelaniya Gurukula MV later crossed over to St Peters Bambalapitiya and now attached to CDB Bank but his athletics continued under the guidance of Ashoka Jayasundara . Kusum Kumara of Western and A.N.M Nasik of Western were placed second and third at 110m hurdles heat. The second heat of 110m S.P.D Dhananjaya of North Western Province was placed first with 14.97 seconds while third heat K.A.D Ariyaratne of Western won the first place with 14.81 seconds . Gayanthika Abeyratne the Asian bronze medalist who represented Southern Province once again came to the fore winning 800m gold medal with a time of 2 minutes and 04.53 seconds .
M.H.I Sandaruwan of Western Province with a 5.00m won thegold medal at men’s Pole Vault while men’s long jump event won by Uva Province Gayan Sampath with a leap of 7.74m . W.G.S.R Kumarasiri of North Central Province won the men’s hammer throw event with a distance of 46.97m.
Asian championship gold medalist Nadeesha Ramanayake of Southern Province won gold medal yesterday at women’s 200m with a time of 24.3 seconds while Safiya Yameck of Central Province was placed second with 24.5 seconds and third place won by M.H.J Utthara of Western Province with 24.7 seconds . Men’s 200m race won by Isuru Lakshan of North Western Province with 21.1 seconds while second and third places were won by A.S.M Safan of
North Western Province and T.B Udagedera of Southern Province . Women’s 400m hurdle won by N.D.G.N Lakmali of Southern Province with a time of 1 minute and 01.03 seconds while men’s 400m hurdle won by K.M Dharshana of Central Province with 50.59 seconds. C.T Chandrasekara of Western Province won the women’s shot put event with a distance of 13.69m.
Today is the final day of the National Sports Games conducted by the Sports Ministry and Sports Development Department . Dr Shemal Fernando the Sports Director General said 100m men’s final , 5000m women’s final, high jump women , triple jump men, hammer throw women’s final , 110m men’s hurdles , 100m women’s hurdles , 400m men and women finals , 100m men and women finals , 1500 women and men’s final and 4x400m women’s and men’s finals are
scheduled to be held and soon after presentation ceremony followed by colorful closing ceremony is scheduled to commence around 5.15pm.
Dhammika Ratnaweera