The 98th National Athletics Championship brought out it’s first National Record in the Women’s Pole Vault event. The Games were held in its usual hosting ground, the Sugathadasa Stadium.
Day 2 of the Meet saw the finals of Men’s 3000m Steeplechase, Women’s 5000m, Women’s Discus throw, Men’s and Women’s Hurdles, Heptathlon Long Jump, Men’s and Women’s 800m.
Day 1 Results – 98th National Athletics Championship (https://www.thepapare.com/98th-national-athletics-championship-2020-day-1-results/)
3000m Steeplechase – Men’s
Yesterday’s 5k winner RMS Pushpakumara was defeated this morning in the Men’s 3000m Steeplechase event by U B Herath by 8 whole seconds. Herath clocked in at 9:00.22min while Pushpakumara trailed at second with a timing of 9:08.49min.
5000m – Women’s
South Asian Bronze medalist Nilanthi Lanka pushed through Gold in this year’s National meet as Nilani Rathnayake opted out of the race with two laps to go. Lanka finished the race with a time of 17:13.24min. Representing Sri Lanka Air force K M Malinda won the Silver medal of the event with a timing of 17:39.12min.
Discus Throw – Women’s
M P Perera was crowned this year’s Women’s National Discus Throw champion with a throw of 38.69m. Sonali Weerasekara trailing close behind finished second with a distance of 38.28m.
800m
South Asia’s fastest Dilshi Kumarasinghe dazzled the show once again beating out previous record holders Gayanthika Abeyrathne and Nimali Liyanarachchi to win the Women’s 800m title for 2020.
Her laps were timed at 2:02.80min while Liyanarachchi finished second clocking 2:03.20min. Abeyrathne finished third with a time of 02:03.53min.
The 800m Men’s final saw an unexpected twist as South Asian Medalist Indunil Herath opted out of the race with just 100m remaining while leading the pack. This paved way for Rusiru Chathuranga to make his mark with a timing of 1:49.82min to win Gold. A D Kumara finished second clocking 1:53.34min while Bronze went to D Maduranga who clocked in 1:53.58min.
100m Hurdles
It was a battle between Lakshika Sugandi and Ireshani Rajasinghe, Gold and Bronze winners of the South Asian Games 2019, from the stables. Sugandi had the edge by quarter length by it was Rajasinghe who found the jets towards the finish line.
In a close finish, Ireshani Rajasinghe took home Gold with a time of 13.85sec while last year’s National champion Sugandi had to settle for Silver this time with a time of 13.89sec.
Pole Vault – Women’s
2019 winner Anitha Jagathiswaran was ousted from the title this year by Sachini Perera who not only managed to win the event but managed to claim a New National Record. Perera’s record was the first National Record that was set in this year’s Meet so far.
110m Hurdles
The Men’s Hurdles was dominated by the reigning South Asian Bronze medal holder Roshan Dammika as he sprinted towards victory with a time of 14.33sec.
That concluded the events of Day 2 from the 98th National Athletics Championship. Stay logged for Real-time results, results, records and videos from the 2020 Nationals only on ThePapare.com!
