12 athletes for Asian Youth C’ship
Sachini, Asmika within gold medal range
Athletics Association of Sri Lanka (AASL) has finalized a team of 12 members for the forthcoming 2nd Asian Youth Athletics Championship (AYC) to be held from 20 to 23 May in Bangkok, Thailand.
Team consists of nine boys and three girls, three of whom have achieved qualification standards for the IAAF World Youth Championship later this year. They are steeple chase runner Asmika Herath, 400m hurdler Navodya Sankalpa and 400m runner Ravishka Indrajith.
Based on last year’s performance, sprinter Sachini Divyanjali’s time in the 100m (12.26 seconds) and Asmika Herath’s 2000m steeple chase time (6:59.96 sec) at Junior Nationals are in the range for gold medals. Gold medal in the 100m last year was won by Poon Hang Wai of Hong Kong who clocked 12.27 seconds while 2000m steeple chase was won by Tian Wanhua of China in a time of 7 minutes 01.06 seconds.
The three boys, Harsha Karunaratne, Shalika Santhush Weerasinghe (200m) and Ravishka Indrajith (400m) are also good prospects to win medals at the championship where Sri Lanka could seal a minimum of five medals.
Sri Lanka won four medals in the last edition of the AYC where golden girl Yamani Dulanjali won gold in the 400m hurdles, while high jumper Roshan Dammika, Triple Jumper Chamal Kumarasiri and 400m hurdles runner Darshana Rajapaksha won silver medals.
Out of 12 athletes, four are coached by Amila Prasanna who will be on the tour as the coach. Manager will be Walala coach and former School Athletics Association’s President Susantha Fernando, while coach from St. Joseph’s Balika Kegalle, A.D. Nandawathi will be the female coach.
The team:
Boys: Suraj Dinusha (Moraketiya MV Embilipitiya) 100M, Shalika Santhush (St. Benedict’s Kotahena) 200M, Ravishka Indrajith (St. Benedict’s Kotahena) 400M, Harsha Karunaratne (A. Ratnayaka CC Walala) 800M, Shehan Kariyawasam (St. Joseph’s Colombo) 110M Hurdles, Navodya Sankalpa (Mahinda Galle) 400M Hurdles, Chanuka Kasthuriarahchi (S.Thomas’ Mt. Lavinia) High Jump, Pramodh Madubash (Maris Stella Negombo) Long Jump, Charuka Rukshan (St. Mary’s Chilaw) Javelin Throw.
Girls: Sachini Divyanjali (Lyceum Wattala) 100M, 200M, Sandumin Bandara (St. Joseph’s BV Kegalle) 400M, Asmika Herath (Kuliyapitiya CC) 2000M St.Ch, 3000M.
Manager – Susantha Fernando, Coach (boys) – Amila Prasanna, Coach (girls) – A.D. Nandawathi.
