Aruna dazzles track with record breaking 200m

Sprinter Aruna Darshana dazzled the track in the boys under 20 200m breaking the record thrice during the heats, semi-finals and final at the Junior National Athletics Championship where several record breaking performances were seen at the newly laid Sugathadasa track in Colombo.

Darshana hailing from Weerakeppetipola National School, Akuramboda in the Central Province, initially a 400m runner and 400m hurdler before turning to the 200 last year and now carries Sri Lanka’s hopes of medals at the Asian Junior Championship.

Darshana who clocked 47 .19  seconds in the 400m last year is expected to dip under 47 seconds with his impressive 200m time yesterday where he will be set to represent Sri Lanka in the 200m, 400m and 4x400m during the South Asian Junior and Asian Junior championships.

Total of nine records were set in the day where three records came from the 200m. Gateway sprinter Shelinda Jansen clocked 24.98 seconds to set new meet record in the girls under 18 200m breaking the record of 25.04 seconds set by Taniya Van Heer in 1986. Young 200m runner Kavindi Edirisinghe of Janadhipathi BV Nawala clocked 25.80 seconds as she erased the previous record by Sadeepa Henderson (25.88 seconds) twice in the heats (25.86 seconds) and now in the final.

The other 200m record was came from former Nalandian sprinter Sachith Perera who clocked 21.50 seconds in the boys under 23 200m.

 High Jumper Poornima Gunarathne set a new height clearing 1.80m in the girls under 23 high jump to set a new meet record erasing the record set by Priyangika Madhumanthi of 1.78m in 2007.  Junior high jumper IN Pallegama of Ibbangamuwa CC jumped 1.71m to erase the record set by Ishani Edirisinghe in 2008.

 In the pole vault another Jaffna vaulter A. Puvitharan of Hindu College Chavakachcheri cleared over 4.70m in the boys under 20 to set a new meet record while Heshani Maheshika set new meet record in  the girls under 16 discuss throw.  In distance running KMJ Kanagarathne clocked 10 minutes 57.11 seconds to erase the girls under 20 3000m steeple chase record.

 There were several spills and thrills in the 110m hurdles during the day where Commonwealth Youth finalist Shehan Kariyawasam of St. Joseph’s College was beaten by Peterite Janidu Lukavijaya clocking 14.42 seconds. Sprinter Amasha de Silva sealed the girls under 20 200m with an impressive 24.49 seconds.

Visit :-http://www.ceylonathletics.com/events/jn2018 for Full results/Schedule and More