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Sri Lanka's relay team among top three Athletics the most glamorous and competitive section of the 16th Commonwealth Games commences today. A total number of 786 men and women athletics will battle in 66 events for honours. England tops the list with 121 athletes (men 65, women 66) competing in different events. Australia has fieled a team of 77 competitors. The smallest contingents are from Malta (1) and Nauru (1) Cayman Islands (1) and Falkland Islends (1). Two of world's fastest men Ato Bolden (Trinidad) and Frankie Fredericks are among the super stars in action at this 16th Commonwealth Games. Bolder is the winner of the Olympic Silver medal while Fredericks with the Olympic Gold medal could pose a threat to Donovan Bailey's records which stands at 9.84 secs in the 100 metre event. Chariya Chutola (Mozambique) is favoured to grab the gold for 800m women's event, while the 100 metre sprint will have a tough battle between Australians Larente Nevit and Jamaica's Juliet Kanbert. Jamaica's 4 x 400 metre quartet the Olympic gold medallist will pose the biggest threat for other participating countries in this event. Sri Lanka is represented in the athletic field by Sugath Tillekeratne (400 m), Damayanthi Dharsha (400 m women), Sriyani Kulawansa (110 m Hurdle women) and the (4 x 400 m. men's) relay quartet. Heats for the 400 m men and women will be run today. Asia's 400 m champion Sugath Tillekeratne who clocked 44.61 is rated 4th in the list. Others above him are Troy McIntosh (Bahamas) (40.60 secs), Ivan Thoenas (Wales), 44.36 secs and Mark Richardson (England) 44.37 secs. Sugath Tillekeratne and Damayanthi Dharsha arrived in Kuala Lumpur after attending the World Athletic Championships in South Africa. Morris Nicholas, Secretary, South Asian Amateur Athletic Association speaking on Sugath's achievement in Japan during the Asian Championships said 'I saw his immaculate run in this event. If he keep up to same standards here he should be among the medallists'. Damayanthi Dharsha (400 m) who has a time of 51.23 secs for the same event is slated fifth among other leading contenders. The top contender in this event Sandy Richards (Jamaica) has the best time 50.30 secs. This event has a participation of 59 athletes. Sriyani Kulawansa will be on the track for her pet event the 110 m Hurdle on Sept. 19. She won a Silver medal in Singapore clocking 13.07 secs. Her best timing for this has been in 1997 when she clocked 12.91 secs. Sri Lanka's 4 x 400 m quartet is expected run the heats on Sept. 20. Seventeen teams have entered this event. Sri Lanka's timing of 3:05.79 secs has brought them to the second slot behind Wales who clocked 3:03.4 secs on an earlier meeting. Squash Saman Tillekeratne who qualified to play in the semi-final of Plate event failed to reach the final when he went down to Pakistan's Haynmann Khan 3-2 sets (10-8, 3-9, 9-4, 2-9, 5-9). Lanka
cagers trounce Laos Sri Lanka’s cagers came up with an improved performance in their third game, of the 14th Asian Junior Women’s Basketball Championships in Japan, to down Laos 56-16 after a somewhat shaky start. The Sri Lanka cagers were in disarray during the opening 10 minutes of the game and were trailing 5-11. But, they soon got their act together, with Thilomi Jayalath and Dilrukshi Heenatigala leading the way and went on to take complete control of the game scoring at will while their opponents were left wondering as to what had hit them. Thilomi Jayalath’s tactics, in attack, tore the Laos defence into shreds. It was really a team effort that saw Sri Lanka outclass Laos in every department of the game. Team manager Francis Perera and coach Wimal both said they expected this victory. They further added the setback in the early part of the game a common feature for team like us as we lack international experience. Sri Lanka’s victory over Laos with a margin of 56-16 is also the highest recorded by a Lankan team against a foreign country. In the last championship Sri Lanka were placed 11th out of 13 teams. Our cagers face Macau in their next game which could be another tough game. But a team effort could bring in a change, said the officials. Meanwhile in the other games Uzbekhistan defeated Philippines 84-46, Malaysia beat Macau 75-39, Japan beat Laos 131-7, Thailand beat India 96-49 and China defeated Hong Kong 119-30. Today Sri Lanka gets a rest day and are expected to go on a sightseeing tour. Wimala taken off as AD placed as instructress Wimala Jayaweera, Assistant Director Sports Ministry, has been relieved of her duties and requested to revert back to being a lecturer at the Sports Ministry School of Sports. A directive in this regard, signed by the new Director of Sports, S. Uduge, dated September 1, was posted to Mrs. Jayaweera. A Ministry spokesman, when contacted said that the services of Mrs. Jayaweera were urgently needed at the sports school. ‘This is why she was taken off from this post’, the spokesman said. It was also pointed out that her post was not a position approved by the Cabinet. "Therefore she can be transferred at any time, and this will not affect her salary." Asked why her post was not ratified by the Cabinet the spokesman said that there were many objections whenever her name came up to go before the Cabinet. Wimala, who is the wife of former Director General of the Ministry of Education Sunil Jayaweera, who too was shown the Ministry door, was in her post for 9 months. ‘The Island’ understands that Wimala, who was in charge of the recently concluded Sports Festival food arrangements, has run into hot water with another ministry official, who had handled this subject on earlier occasions. There is also speculation that Sunil, a Vice President of the Amateur Athletic Association (AAA) has had a heated argument with a VIP of the Ministry. "Since they could not take revenge from Sunil they targeted Wimala", said a Sports Ministry official who wished to be anonymous. Either, a Ministry research officer or a Gymnastic instructress is expected take Wimala’s place as Assistant Director. Since the change of Government, three Directors, (Nelum Gunasekera, A. Abeysinghe and Padma Siriwardane) left the Ministry. Central Bank 'A' emerge champs Central Bank 'A' team emerged champions in the women's 'B' group when they beat their 'B' team in the finals of the Government Service Badminton team championship concluded at SLBP courts recently. Central Bank 'A' captained by Ranjani Perera defeated Central Bank 'B' team led by Praneetha Perera to clinch the title. Ranjani Perera together with Pat Nelson and Janaki Gunwardane were in the Central Bank 'A' team while Praneetha and Shirantha Perera played for runner up Central Bank 'B' team. Police defeated Colombo Municipal Council 2-1 to take women 'A' group title. Meanwhile defending champions CGR won the championship for the second time defeating Customs 2-1 in the mens 'A' division while Police defeated Customs 3-0 and clinched the men's 'B' group. Customs beat Police 3-0 to take men's 'C' group. Suranjith Rupasinghe and R. P. Warapitiya were leading the way to win the men's 'B' division title for Police. The champions Men's 'C' division team comprised of Nimal Gunasiri, P. J. P. Basnayake, M. Gunawardane and K. Fernando. |
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