12th Asian Senior Track & Field Championship
Sugath and Dharsha win golds for Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka's Olympics poolists Sugath Tillekeratne and Damayanthi Dharsha won golds for the 400m men's and Women's events at the 12th Asian Track and Field Championships in Kukuoka Japan yesterday.

The championship is competed by 38 countries from the Asian region is witnessed by a large spectator gathering.

It was an interesting day for spectators to watch Sri Lanka bag two consecutive golds. First it was Dharsha who won the 400m event with a time of 51.23 seconds. Dharsha who was the sprint queen in the Asian region few years back switched to this 400 m event. This also the first occasion that she touched gold for this event at an international meeting. Dharsha with her best timing for this event here was able to equal the Asian record held by China's Ma Yukim (51.23 secs).

Sugath Tillekeratne who took to the track soon after Dharsha's victory clocked 44.61 secs for this 400m event to grab the gold beating runners from Japan, Korea and Qatar. Sugath's new timing for the event 44.61 secs was enough to erase the record held by Qatar's Abrahim Ismail (44.56 secs).

Dharsha who clocked 52.65 secs in the qualifying round was running in the third slot behind Kazakstani and India's P. T. Usha. up to 300 metre mark.
Sugath Tillekeratne

Damayanthi Dharsha

From this point onwards she closed the gap with a dash which she kept upto the finishing line to get pass the runners in front of her. India's P T Usha who clocked 52.55 secs was placed third behind Kazakstani who timed 52.46

Dharsha speaking to journalists said she planned her race according to the situation and said her aim is to grab the gold at the next Asian Games.

Sugath Tillekeratne running his pet event pushed aside top contenders from Japan, Korea and Qatar to bag the gold. He qualified to run in the final when he clocked 44.66 secs. "My first aim was to beat Japan's Kan Masayohi. I was behind him for nearly 300 meters from which point I put everything to overtake him. If I had run the earlier 300m faster I would have bettered the Asian record "said the proud Tillekeratne soon after his victory.

Two golds for Sri Lanka saw the journalists hurrying to inquire about Sri Lanka's sponsors for Athletics. Further they were eager to find out more about Sri Lanka's President and Sports Minister.

Sriyani Kulawansa Asian Games Gold medallist for the 110m Hurdle event qualified for the final clocking 13.11 secs for the event. The other qualifier had a time of 12.97 secs and a close tussle is expected in the final.

Chinthaka Soysa who clocked 10.51 secs in the 100 m semifinal failed to qualify to run in the final. Earlier in a preliminary round heat he clocked 10.59 secs.

Nayanthi Kumari who had a leap of 6.11m in the Long Jump was placed 8th. Pradeepa Herath who too was down to take part in this event kept off due to an injury. Pradeepa is to participate in the 200m event.

Murali a ten wicket haul
Sri Lanka lose to Glamorgan by 5 wkts.
Sujeeva Neunhella reporting from England

Glamorgan beat Sri Lanka by five wickets in three day game at Cardiff on Sunday, second-day.

Sri Lanka who were bowled out for 53 in the first innings their lowest total in England however managed to dismiss Glamorgan for 224 on the first day. Sri Lanka who faced few overs ended the day on 35/2 Muthiah Muralitharan was the most successful bowler for Sri Lanka claiming 5 wickets for 77.

Sri Lanka who were trailing by 170 runs managed to reach 222 leaving the host a winning a target 52 runs.

In the second essay Mavan Atapattu scored for Sri Lanka with 99. While Hashan Tillekeratne (36) and Upul Chandana (33) swelled the Lanka score.

Glamorgan reached the required target losing five wickets. All five wickets that fell on this day went to Muralitharan which also brought him a match haul ten wickets.

Pradeepa Most Outstanding Paddler
By Dhammika Ratnaweera

Pradeepa Dilrukshi St. Joseph's BMV Nugegoda won the award for Most Outstanding player at the 9th Chrys Gunaratne Memorial open Table Tennis Championship concluded at S. Thomas Gymnasium recently.

Dilrukshi the 17 year old paddler was in brilliant form to defeat seeded players at the tournament. Dilrukshi beat third seed Punya Nanayakkara in the Under 19 Girls final. In the Women's Open Pradeepa made a fought experienced Namal Gunasekara. Namal lost her first set to Pradeepa Dilrukshi 15-21 in their second round game. Namal Gunasekara won the second set 21-11. In the third set both Pradeepa and Namal played a thrilling. At one stage Pradeepa took a 20-15 but Namal using all her experience won the set at 27-25.

Dinesh Deshap-priya in another upset defeated top seed K. S. T. Chalitha in the under 17 Boys semi final 21-15, 13-21, 21-14.

In the under 17 Girls Singles quarterfinal Navarathna Udugama beat top seed Harini Kaluarachchi in straight sets 23-21, 21-12.

Thilina Piyadasa (Vidyartha College) and Deepika Rodrigo (Lake House SC) emerged champions in the Men's and Women's Open.

Piyadasa beat Indika Prasad (Abans Ltd) 21-8, 21-10, 21-10 while Deepika defeated Dilmini Direckze (Education Ministry) 22-24, 21-12, 21-19, 21-18.

National Savings Bank sponsored this tournament and with the assistance of Sri Lanka Table Tennis Association.

Malik Shahir (Advertising Manager National Savings Bank) was the chief guest and gave away the awards. Sarath Gunaratne President of SLTTA and former President SLTTA Chandana Perera too were present on the occasion.

Results:

U. 09 Girls Singles: Jayamali Udagedara (Holy Family Convent, Kurunegala) bt. Ruhansi Wijekoone (Maliyadeva B.M.V., Kurunegala) 21/12, 21/16.

U. 09 Boys Singles: Shiran Salgado (Royal College) bt. Nuwan D. Udawatte (Royal College) 21/13, 21/11.

U. 11 Girls Singles: Yathindra Dissanayake (Musaeus College) bt. Wasana Sandareka (St. Joseph's B.M.V., Nugegoda) 21/13, 21/11.

U. 11 Boys Singles: Tharindu Samaraweera ( S. Thomas' College, Mt. Lavinia) bt. N. D. S. Lokuhetty (Royal College) 21/14, 21/18.

U. 13 Girls Singles: Harshani Medagoda (Holy Family Convent, Kurunegala) bt. Yathindra Dissanayake (Musaeus College) 21/19, 21/16.

U. 13 Boys Singles: Tharindu Samaraweera (S. Thomas' College, Mt. Lavinia) bt. C. P. Liyanage (Vidyartha College, Kandy) 21/11, 21/17.

U. 15 Girls Singles: Madushika Kottegoda (Maliyadeva B.M.V., Kurunegala) bt Pradeepa Dilrukshi (St. Joseph's B.M.V., Nugegoda) 21/14, 21/13.

U. 15 Boys Singles: Yohan Deshappriya (Royal College, Colombo) bt. Dinesh Deshppriya (Isipatana College, Colombo) 21/19, 21/13.

U. 17 Girls Singles: Pradeepa Dilrukshi (St. Joseph's B.M.V. Nugegoda) bt. S. Kaluarachchi (Mahamaya College, Kandy) 21/18, 25/23.

U. 17 Boys Singles: Rohan Sirisena (Royal College) bt. Dinesh Deshappriya (Isipatana) 21/17, 21/16.

U. 19 Girls Singles: Pradeepa Dilrukshi (St. Joseph's B.M.V. Nugegoda) bt Punya Nanayakkara (Mahamaya College, Kandy) 12/21, 21/13, 25/23.

U. 19 Boys Singles: Rohan Sirisena (Royal College) bt. K. S. T. Chalitha (Sri Devananda College, Ambalangoda) 21/11, 18/21, 21/19.

Mixed Doubles: Indika Prasad/Deepika Rodrigo, bt. Thilina Piyadasa/Rifkha Kameel 14/21, 21/19, 21/11.

Womens Doubles: Namal Gunesekara/Deepika Rodrigo (Lake House) bt. Rifkha Kameel/Kaushalya Gunaratne (Pushpadana College, Kandy) 20/22, 21/12, 21/16.

Men's Doubles: Thilina Piyadasa/Indika Prasad bt. Rohan Sirisena/Yohan Deshappriya 20/22, 21/09, 21/11.

Women's Singles: Deepika Rodrigo (Lake House) bt. Dilmini Direckze (Ministry of Education) 22/24, 21/12, 21/19, 21/18.

Men's Singles: Thilina Piyadasa (Vidyartha College, Kandy) bt. Indika Prasad (Abans Ltd) 21/08, 21/10, 21/10.

Most outstanding player of the championships - Pradeepa Dilrukshi of St. Joseph's B.M.V., Nugegoda.

National Schools Netball C'ships
Kalutara BMV clinch three titles
Shirajiv Sirimane reporting from Kalutara

Kalutara Balika Vidyalaya once again proved their supremacy when they clinched three titles out of four at the 'Milo' National Schools Netball Championships concluded at Holy Cross College on Sunday.

The Kalutara team bagged the under 12, 14 and 18 finals while St. Joseph's BMV Nugegoda, upset the would be clean sweep of the lost team. However the home team never had an easy passage, as Maliyadeva Kurunegala and St. Joseph BMV, Nugegoda gave them a close contest in the final.

In the Under 18 age group the Kurunegala lasses held the victorious team to a 8 all dead lock in the first half. But in the second half the Kalutara team coached for the past ten years by Janaki Gunasekera got more chances to get free, and take possession of the ball. Goal defender Gangani Chathurika was in good touch turning away several goals while Chamari Anuradha did bulk of the scoring, to set up their 20-13 victory.

Goal defender Dilini Apsara and shooter M. Harshani excelled for Maliyadeva team.

Meanwhile a nail biting finish was witnessed in the Under 12 final where Kalutara edged out St. Joseph BMV 8-7 after a 4 all dead lock. Thushani Abeywardane and M. Gayathri played well for Kalutara.

In the Under 14 final Kalutara confronted Maliyadeva BMV Kurunegala and scored a convincing 12-9 triumph.

The Under 16 final which was a battle between St. Joseph's Nugegoda and Swarnamali Kandy too turned to be a thriller. Both teams were level at 8-8 and St. Joseph's tightened their grip in the second half foiling all battle plans of the Kandy players to gain a 16-12 victory. The Swarnamali goal attacker N. Gunasekera was in very good form in scoring but could not match the tactics adopted by the Josephian coach Desema Fernando.

The event organised by the Ministry of Education and Schools Netball Association saw a good number of 148 teams in four age groups in fray.

Sumithra P. Abeyweera Deputy Minister of Trade and Commerce was the chief guest and gave away the awards.

Special Awards

Best Players Under 12 — Champa K. Mahapatabandige — (STC Nugegoda)

Under 14 — Ruchira C. Dissanayake (Maliyadewa Kurunegala)

Under 16 — T. H. Jayaliya Kumari (SJC Nugegoda)

Under 18 — Gangani Vajiramali (Kalutara BMV)

Results from (semi-finals) awards

• UNDER 12 — St. Joseph BMV Nugegoda beat Pannala BMV 10-5, Kalutara BMV beat Maliyadeva 13-6

Final — Kalutara beat SJC Nugegoda 8-7. (Total teams — 38).

• UNDER 14 — Kalutara BMV beat Anula Nugegoda 9-4, Maliyadeva beat Girls High School, Kandy 10-7.

Finals — Kalutara beat Maliyadeva 12-9 (Total teams — 40).

• UNDER 16 — St. Joseph Nugegoda beat Kalutara BMV 16-13, Swarnamali Kandy beat Vijitha MMV Dickwella 15-11.

Finals — SJC Nugegoda beat Swarnamali 16-12 (Teams 35).

• UNDER 18 — Kalutara BMV beat St. Joseph Kegalle 25-16. Maliyadeva BMV beat Henagama Gampaha 17-5.

Finals — Kalutara BMV beat Maliyadeva 20-13. (Teams 35).

Thurstan beats Isipatana - enters final
By Althaf Nawaz

A brilliant team effort helped Thurstan to oust the defending champions Isipatana out of the final of the President's trophy schools u-19 with a 12 points (1 goal, 1 try) to 8 (1 try, 1 penalty) victory at Sugathadasa Stadium yesterday. This is also the first win for Thurstan over Isipatana in 33 years.

Thurstan with their speedy back division created havoc among the Patanians to outsmart the green jerseyed school from the start whistle. Their combination both forwards and three quarters were far more superior than Patanians. Thurstan forwards dominated both line outs and set pieces and were threat in lose play. Number eight player Aruna Ariyaratne initiated the moves from the base mostly which assured him to score their spectacular try in the third minute of play. Isipatana had line out in 22" just five meters out from the goal line. But they failed to collect the ball neatly which resulted in Ariyaratne sneak through the Isipatana defence to touch down by the right corner flag. Mohamed Rilwan the centre added the extra points to make the score. (7/0)

This try gathered momentum to the match as both teams dished out some fascinating rugby. Isipatana the reigning champions had little to show as they were completely overshadowed by their traditional rivals. Patanians failed to run the ball through the three quarter line while the forwards too had a very lean day.

Thurstanites increased their lead with another superb move minutes before the half time. It happened in the Patana "22". They were awarded a scrum. Their skipper cum number eight player Shamly Nawaz broke through and formed a maul. But the forwards failed to set the ball which resulted Thurstan charging ahead. Thurstan won the ball and skipper and fly half Nuwan Kumara set the momentum and ran the ball beautifully. He slung out a pass bisecting the opponents. Winger Asanka Indika Peiris surged ahead with a try planted by left corner flag. Rilwan's kick went as try. This had the score 12/0 at "lemons".

The rejuvenated Isipatanians played a much improved game. This effort enabled them to pest t he first scoring points and reduce the gap through a try off hooker Duminda Pushpakumara after a forwards move. Roshan Peiris missed the conversion. Few minutes later they further increased the lead with another penalty conversion off Peiris after Thurstan three quarters were spotted offside. From then onwards it was a ding-dong battle for supremacy. Aruna Jayasekera blew the full time whistle as giving Thurstan players a moment for jubilation as they proved that they were better side.
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