High Jumper Lesadu Arthavindu will lead the Sri Lanka team for the South Asian Junior Athletics Championship which will be held in Chennai, India from September 11-13. Sri Lankan team including 53 junior athletes left for India yesterday to take part in this meet hosted by Indian Athletics will take place at the newly laid Blue Synthetic Track in Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Chennai .
The team comprises four relay teams. The boys’ and girls’ 4×100 m and 4×400m relay teams will vie for honours alongside athletes competing in individual events.
The last South Asian Junior Championship was held in Colombo six years ago (in 2018), where Sri Lanka excelled with Aruna Darshana becoming a star with three Gold Medals (200m, 400m, and 4x400m). Darshana went on to win Asian Junior Gold Medals in the 400m and 4x400m in the same year and became Sri Lanka’s first 400m runner to qualify for the semi-finals during the Paris Olympics.
The event in Chennai will be the third international meet for some junior athletes, as almost all athletes who won medals at the Asian Junior Championship in Dubai earlier this year are included in the team. Sri Lanka won five medals, including four relay medals in Dubai. Just 10 days ago, a team of 12 juniors was competing in Lima, Peru, and will now join this team. Sri Lanka Juniors recently performed well at the International meets and this South Asian Junior meets also good chance to showcase their talent.
In the meantime, the country’s only Asian Junior individual medalist, Nannapurawa MV, Bibile athlete Madushani Herath, withdrew from the squad to Chennai due to injury.
Sri Lanka team for the South Asian Junior Athletic Championships
Boys Meron Wijesinghe(100m & 4 x 100m)Dineth Induwara Weerarathna (100m & 4 x 100m)Indusara Vidushan Rajamuni (200m & 4 x 100m)Malith Thamel (200m & 4 x 100m)Ayesh Mihiranga( 4 x 100m)Supun Hansaja (4 x 100m )Jathya Kirulu (400m & 4 x 400m)Omel Shashintha Silva (400m & 4 x 400m)Sadew Vimansa Rajakaruna(4 x 400m)Hasindu Nethsara (4 x 400m)Kehan Kumarasiri (4 x 400m)Mark Roshen( 4 x 400m)Savindu Awishka (800m)Dineth Liyanage (800m) Sanuka Mihisara Gunarathne(1500m)Buddika Rashmikara (1500m)Jayakantha Vithusan ( 3000m)W H K Madushan (3000m)Sandun Kosala (110m Hurdles)Wishwa Tharuka( 110 Hurdles)Tharusha Dinushan Mendis (High Jump)Lesandu Arthavidu (High Jump)Thevindu
Sandil (Long Jump)Dhaham Diyath Abeynayake (Long Jump)Hasitha Dissanayake (Triple Jump)Senura Hansaka Sandeepa (Triple Jump)Jayavi Rahinda Alwis (Shot Put)Christian Dabare ( Discus Throw)Bhathiya Dilhara Danasinghe ( Javelin Throw)
Girls Shanella Senevirathne (100m & 4 x 100m)Dhanani Reshma Kodithuwakku (100m & 4 x 100m)Dilanma Ransini Perera ( 4 x 100m & 200m) Dananjana Ranasgalla( 4 x 100m)Dhanajana Fernando (4x 100m)Dilmi Imasha (4 x 100m)Jithma Wijethunga (200m, 400m & 4 x 400m) Takshima Nuhansa(400m & 4 x 400m)Mahima Dunusinghe( 4 x 400m) Shashini Bhagya (4 x 400m)Sansala Himashani (4 x 400m & 800m)Charuni Pramudika (4 x 400m)Tharushi Abhisheka Pemasiri (800m & 1500m)Dulanjana Pradeepani – 1500 & 3000mMiyani Gunathilake (100m Hurdles)Imasha Lellupitiya Arachchi ( 100m Hurdles)Nehansa Pujani – 100m Hurdles Nethra
Samadhi (High Jump)Kashmika Timeshi Jayarathna – High Jump Adithya Fernando (Long Jump) Dilki Nehara – Triple JumpMalkethmi Silva (Shot Put)Savindya Jayamaha (Discus Throw ) Nisansala Madubashini – Javelin throw)
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