The 33rd edition of the All Island School Games Athletic Championship was held over a period of 5 days from the 11th to the 15th of October at the Diyagama Mahinda Rajapakse stadium.
Heavy rains damped the proceedings throughout the five days of the competition making it difficult for the young athletes. With the restructured age groups coming into play for the first time in this year, there were no new meet records established. However, despite the difficult conditions some promising performances were witnessed by the courageous athletes who were representing their Alma Mater.
- Sheshan Kariyawasam , St Joseph’s College, Colombo
Josephian Sheshan Kariyawasam renewed his own National school’s record in the U18 110m Boys Hurdle event. Sheshan held the previous best time in the event with his performance of 13.96 at the Youth Commonwealth Games held in the Bahamas earlier this year. It is an impressive feat by the youngster to be able to perform at this level given the fact that it was not only the physical hurdles he had to compete against but the soggy and largely worn out track that hampers performances of the athletes. The Josephian was way ahead of the rest of the contestants.
- Chamod Yodasinghe , St Mary’s College, Kegalle
The young sprinter from Kegalle Chamod Yodasinghe of St Mary’s College came out with a roar in the Boy’s U18 200m and managed to clinch the top spot with a time of 22.07. Having previously won the U18 100m yesterday, Chamod completed the sprint double when he won the 200m top spot today. The youngster defied the odds and managed to beat the Junior world represent, Benedictine Shalika Santhush who was the favorite to clinch the 200m, to second place.
- Sadeepa Henderson, Gateway College, Colombo
Impressive young Gateway athlete Sadeepa Henderson clinched three gold medals at the competition winning the Girls U16 200m. Sadeepa impressed on an opening day with a leap of 5.66m in the long jump and followed it up with another gold in the U16 100m event with a head-turning time of 12.67. The youngster was back at it clocking 25.90 winning the 200m to complete her triple gold for the second consecutive year at the All Island School Games.
