Junior National Athletics Championships 2023
By Reemus Fernando
Asian Youth Championship medallist Thushen Silva gave the Junior National Athletics Championship a strong start as he lived up to his billing to win the pole vault with a record-breaking feat at Diyagama on Sunday.
While Thushen excelled in his pet event, Kandy hurdlers Sethumi Dahamsa Kahangama and Samadi Lakshani Disanayake produced record-breaking performances in sprint hurdles in the afternoon. Maris Stella College Athlete Thushen erased the meet record with a feat of 4.50 metres to win the Under 18 event. He was not at his full strength as he competed just days after returning from Uzbekistan where he clinched the silver medal of the Asian Youth Championship.
The athlete trained by Sanath Gunaratne improved the meet record held by A. Pavitharan of Hindu College, Chavakachcheri by 10 centimetres.
All three age group (Under 18, Under 20 and Under 23) pole vault events commenced simultaneously yesterday and that gave a rare opportunity for the youngster to dazzle against athletes in the senior age categories. His was the best performance among the athletes in all three age categories. His schoolmate Raheema Hasthika cleared four metres to win the gold in the Under 20 age category, while the Under 23 age event winner Sugumar Thisanth of Arunodaya College, Alaveddy also cleared the same height for his gold.
Thushen cleared a national youth record height of 4.70 metres in Uzbekistan.
“I am happy with the performance I achieved today. Looking forward to an opportunity to compete at the Commonwealth Youth Games. If I am given the opportunity I will do my best,” said Thushen in an interview with The Island.
The Junior National Championships now in progress is also the final selection meet for this year’s Commonwealth Youth Games. Mahamaya Girls School hurdler Kahangama clocked 14.45 seconds to lower the Under 20 100 metres hurdles record set by Amesha Hettiarachchi (14.86secs) in 2022.
Swarnamali Balika athlete Disanayake broke 12-years old 100 metres hurdles record of Harshani Wijesinghe of St. Joseph’s Balika, Kegalle. She clocked 14.51 seconds to win nearly a second ahead of Senuri Anuththara.
Ranindi Pehansa Gamage of Dharmapala College, Pannipitiya (Under 20 girls’ high jump -1.70 metres), Shesha Umaya Rathnayake of Lyceum International School, Wattala (Under 16 girls’ long jump -5.46 metres), Dinithi Nipunika Samarakoon of Rathnayaka Central, Walala (Under 20 women’s 5000m- 18:58.02secs), S. Thudirhashidan of Hindu National College (Under 20 Boys 5,000metres – 16:07.14secs), Ovindu Nethsara of DS Senanayake College, Colombo (Under 18 boys’ long jump – 6.83m), Sanugi Sawanitha of Loyola College, Bopitiya (Under 16 girls’ shot put – 10.50m) and Selvakumar Sevvanam of Polikandy Hindu Tamil Mixed School, Valvettithurai (Under 18 girls’ discus throw – 29.46m) were among the athletes to hog the limelight in their respective events held during the first two sessions of the day.