Eight member team for Youth Olympic Asian Trials -Sandumini Omitted
Athletics Association (AASL) has finalized an 8 member team for the Asian qualification trials for the Youth Olympic Games to be held on 3 and 4 July in Bangkok, Thailand.
Team includes four boys and four girls whose performance levels are equal to medal winning range of the last Asian Youth Athletics Championship.
Sprinter Santhush Weerasinghe who was a semi-finalist at last year’s IAAF World Youth Championship, has been selected despite not competing in any events during this year. AASL will conduct a fitness test on Weerasinghe to determine his fitness.
Santhush Weerasinghe’s 200m time last year was also within medal range comparing with last year’s Asian Youth Championship, while the other sprinter Deneth Senanayaka’s performance of 22.09 seconds is ranked 20th among Asian athletes.
| RANK | MARK | COMPETITOR | NAT | POS | VENUE | DATE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 48.55 | D.M. BOGODA |  SRI |
1h6 | Colombo (SRI) | 25 APR 2018 |
| 2 | 48.64 | Wan Muhammad FAZRI |  MAS |
1 | Kuala Lumpur (MAS) | 11 MAY 2018 |
| 3 | 48.80 | Muh.Aftar ROSLI | MAS |
2 | Kuala Lumpur (MAS) | 11 MAY 2018 |
Dilan Bogoda is ranked first in Asia in the 400m with a time of 48.55sec.
High jumper Seniru Amarasinghe is ranked third and is within medal range when comparing with last year’s Asian Youth Championship.
| RANK | MARK | COMPETITOR | DOB | NAT | VENUE | DATE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2.10 | Hyun-uk KIM | 2001 |  KOR |
Gwangju (KOR) | 16 APR 2018 |
| 2 | 2.07 | Amer Haiqal ISMAIL | MAS |
Sham Alam (MAS) | 26 APR 2018 | |
| 3 | 2.03 | S.T. AMARASINGHE | SRI |
Colombo (SRI) | 28 APR 2018 | |
| 4 | 2.02 | Kampton KAM | 2001 |  SGP |
Singapore (SGP) | 27 MAR 2018 |
| 5 | 2.01 | Shenawaj KHAN | 2001 |  IND |
New Delhi (IND) | 02 FEB 2018 |
In the girls team, Shelinda Jansen’s 200m time of 24.98 seconds is ranked 4th in Asia, while 2000m steeple chase runners Wasanthi Marisstella and Asmika Herath’s times are well within medal range of last Asian Youth Championship.
| RANK | MARK | WIND | COMPETITOR | DOB | NAT | VENUE | DATE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 24.78 | +0.6 | Chanveer KAUR | 2001 | IND |
New Delhi (IND) | 01 FEB 2018 |
| 2 | 24.90 | -0.1 | Ancy SOJAN | 01 MAR 2001 | IND |
New Delhi (IND) | 31 JAN 2018 |
| 3 | 24.96 | +0.4 | Yifan JIANG | 17 FEB 2001 |  CHN |
Zhaoqing (CHN) | 11 APR 2018 |
| 4 | 24.98 | NWI | Shelinda JANSEN | 2001 | SRI |
Colombo (SRI) | 24 APR 2018 |
| 5 | 25.01 | +0.4 | Meiru WANG | 28 APR 2001 | CHN |
Zhaoqing (CHN) | 11 APR 2018 |
| 6 | 25.11 | -0.2 | Ziyi LIU | 2002 | CHN |
Zhaoqing (CHN) | 11 APR 2018 |
1500m runner Sammudika Herath’s time is better than the Gold medal winner at the last Asian Youth Championship, but she is ranked 5th in Asia.
| RANK | MARK | COMPETITOR | DOB | NAT | VENUE | DATE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4:29.66 | Ting CENG | 09 MAR 2001 | CHN |
Zhaoqing (CHN) | 11 APR 2018 |
| 2 | 4:30.06 | Miyaka SUGATA | 09 MAR 2001 |  JPN |
Kumamoto (JPN) | 07 APR 2018 |
| 3 | 4:36.61 | Tai HIRAMAN | 31 DEC 2002 | IND |
Coimbatore (IND) | 21 APR 2018 |
| 4 | 4:36.74 | Samudika HERATH | 2001 | SRI |
Colombo (SRI) | 05 MAY 2018 |
| 5 | 4:36.80 | Yuki KANEMITSU | 2001 | JPN |
Kobe (JPN) | 22 APR 2018 |
| 6 | 4:38.72 | Radha CHAUDHARY | 02 FEB 2001 | IND |
Coimbatore (IND) | 21 APR 2018 |
A notable omission is 400m runner Sandumini Chaviprabhavi Bandara from St.Joseph’s BV Kegalle who is ranked 5th in Asia with a best of 56.51 seconds. Sandumini has been selected to represent Sri Lanka in the 4x400m relay at the Asian Junior Championship (U-20) in June even though she has not been considered for the under-18 400m trials.
According to AASL her time is not within medal range of last Asian Championship. Quota for Asia in the event is two, which prompted her omission from the team. But with no under-18 athlete in Asia having clocked under 56 seconds so far, with the best being Chinese athlete Meiru Wang with 56.23 seconds, Sandumini does have a chance of making it to that second slot given the fact there’s more than a month left for the championship, where Sandumini will only improve from here on.
| ANK | MARK | COMPETITOR | DOB | NAT | VENUE | DATE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 56.23 | Meiru WANG | 28 APR 2001 | CHN |
Zhaoqing (CHN) | 10 APR 2018 |
| 2 | 56.26 | Rawiwan PRATIKE | 10 APR 2001 |  THA |
Bangkok (THA) | 04 APR 2018 |
| 3 | 56.31 | Thi Kim Ngoc NGUYEN | 2001 |  VIE |
Bangkok (THA) | 04 APR 2018 |
| 4 | 56.39 | B. SUMITHRA | 23 AUG 2001 | IND |
New Delhi (IND) | 03 FEB 2018 |
| 5 | 56.51 | Sandumini Bandara | 27 JAN 2001 | SRI |
Colombo (SRI) | 28 APR 2018 |
| 6 | 56.54 | You-Hsuan WANG | 23 MAY 2001 |  TPE |
Kaoshiung (TPE) | 09 FEB 2018 |
Also, Asia had got a quota of 8 for the men’s 100m, but no Sri Lankan came up with a credible performance to be considered for selection, as the fastest athlete in the age group, Kavindu Bandara, could only clock 11.12 seconds in the event as his early celebration affected his timing and he has ended up losing his opportunity.
“I don’t have much experience in athletics. I started winning only recently, so that was the result of my early celebration,” said Bandara, who could have made it to the 4x100m U-20 relay team at the South Asian Junior Championship except for that celebration.
The Youth Olympic Games will be held in Buenos Aires, Argentina from 6 to 18 October.
Asian quota for Youth Olympic Games
