The second day of the 6th Asian Youth Athletic Championship, held on April 16, concluded on a high note for Sri Lanka. This promising national youth team added two more medals to its tally; one silver and one bronze- bringing the country’s total to three medals so far in the competition.
Following an impressive start on the opening day, where Sri Lanka secured its first silver medal, the athletes continued their strong form into day two. Demonstrating both determination and talent, two standout performances stole the spotlight.
In a thrilling finish in the women’s 100 meters final, rising sprint star Sewmini Fernando delivered an outstanding performance. Clocking in at a timing of 11.92 seconds, she surged across the finish line in second place, clinching the silver medal. In such a competitive event such as this one, this achievement further cemented her reputation as one of the most promising young sprinters in Asia.
Meanwhile, in the boys’ 1500-meter event, middle-distance runner Lahiru Achintha demonstrated both stamina and strategic racing. His hard work paid off, as he finished the race in a time of 3 minutes and 59.47 seconds, earning himself a bronze medal and adding to Sri Lanka’s growing medal count at the championship.
Although medals eluded some other Sri Lankan athletes, several delivered commendable performances and managed to reach the finals, a significant achievement on such a competitive international stage. The athletes are as follows:
- Iresh Bogoda, who competed in the boys’ 400 meters final, 7th place.
- Imesh Silva, in the highly contested boys’ 100 meters final, 8th place.
Despite not medaling, their qualification for the finals reflects the team’s growing depth and international competitiveness.
A number of athletes who participated in preliminary heats on day two successfully advanced to their respective event finals, setting the stage for more medal opportunities in the coming days. These are:
- In the boys’ high jump,
- Dinuka Dilshan qualified for the final by finishing 6th in his preliminary round.
- Pawan Sampath showed dominance in his group, finishing 1st in his qualifying round to earn a spot in the final.
- In the boys’ 400m hurdles,
- Savindu Nimesh finished 2nd in his preliminary heat and secured his place in the final.
- In the girls’ 400m hurdles,
- Sansala Himashini emerged victorious in her heat, finishing 1st, and qualified comfortably for the final.
- In the girls’ 2000m steeplechase,
- Sachini Madushanika delivered a strong performance, completing the race in 7 minutes and 23.46 secondsto claim 4th place—just outside medal contention but a commendable effort.
As the championship enters its third day (April 17), several more Sri Lankan athletes are poised to compete in key events. With the results we have seen thus far, our country can remain optimistic about adding to our medal tally, and much expectation for the upcoming races.
Stay tuned to ThePapare, Sri Lanka’s No.1 Sports Channel, for live updates, coverage, and exclusive highlights from the Asian Youth Athletic Championship 2025.
