24 year old Sri Lanka record shattered by Nimali while Ishara betters his Pole vault national record

Two more Sri Lanka records were established on the second day of the 42nd National Sports Festival held at the Jaffna Durayappah stadium.

Nimali Liyanarachchi of Sabaragamuwa Province made history with an impressive run in the women’s 800m with a time of 2:03.5secs bettering the 24 year old Sri Lanka record set by Dammika Manike at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. It was an impressive performance by Nimali given the fact that the race was held on the grass track whereas Dammika Manike’s  record came on an artificial turf. Nimali was given a run for her money by Gayanthika Abeyrathne who also surpassed the previous Sri Lanka record time to finish the race with a timing of 2:03.5secs.

In the Men’s Pole-Vault final Ishara Sandaruwan impressed everyone with a scintillating performance renewing his own Sri Lanka record of 5.00m clearing a height of 5.10m. Sandaruwan was made to battle alone as he only took his first jump at 04.40m whereas the Silver medalist K.K Balasooriya only managed to clear 4.50m. There was heavy wind blowing across the grounds which prevented the record breaking   vaulter achieving a better height having failed his three attempts at clearing 5.20m. Speaking to ThePapare.com after his feat Sanduruwan added “I was in really good rhythm today and was confident that I will be able to break my record”

The second day of the 42nd National Sports Festival was given a gala finish by the 4X100m Men’s & Women’s relays with the provincial teams going neck and neck with each other. In the Men’s final which was fiercely contested   North Western Province edged out Sabaragamuwa province with a timing of 41.6secs while the latter finished with a timing of 41.7secs. In the Women’s 4X100 final Western province finished the race first with a time of 48.0secs to win the Gold medal.

Tomorrow is the third & final day of the 42nd National Sports festival and will be attended by the Hon. Maithripala Sirisena, the President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka.

Stay logged on to www.thepapare.com for on-the-spot updates from Jaffna.

Full results from Day 02

Men

• Pole Vault:

1. Ishara Sandaruwan (WP) 5.10m (NSLR),
2. KK Balasooriya (NWP) 4.50m ,
3. K.Kanatheepan(NP) 4.40m 

• 800m:

1. Indunil Herath(Uva) 1:51.9 sec,
2. AD Kumara (WP) 1:52.3 sec,
3. Kupun Kushantha (Uva) 1:52.9 sec 

• Shot Put:

1. Samitha Jayawardana (NWP) 14.69 sec,
2. TM Azik (EP) 13.79m,
3. HC Ferdinandez (WP) 13.64m 

• 4x100m:

1. NWP 41.6 ,
2. SP 41.7 sec,
3. SGP 42.2 sec

• Long Jump :

1. Mohommad Mifran (EP) 7.72m ,
2. KM Kumara (NWP) 7.64m ,
3. Maduka Liyanapathirana (WP) 7.60m

Women

• 800m :

1. Nimali Liyanarachchi (SP) 2:03.5 sec (NSLR)*
2. Gayanthika Abeyrathne (SP) 2:03.7 sec,
3. AD Sandakanthi (SP) 2:08.4 sec 
   

• Discus Throw :

1. Ayesha Maduwanthi (Uva) 38.20m ,
2. Madurangi Perera(WP) 38.03m ,
3. VV Lakmali (NCP)

•  Long Jump :

1. Sarangi Silva (WP) 5.99m ,
2. AD Dananjani (SP) 5.85m ,
3. Anjani Pulawansa(WP) 5.76m

• Javelin Throw:

1. Dilhani Lekamge (SGP) 52.01m ,
2. Kaushalya Lakmali (SP) 41.67m,
3. PS Clarence (Uva) 40.75m

•  4x100m :

1. WP 48.0 sec,
2. SP 48.5 sec,
3. Uva 49.6 sec