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Lankan 4x400 relay team enter final, clocks
3:03.19 Sri Lanka’s 4x400 relay team comprising Sugath Tillekeratne, Rohan Pradeep, V. Ratnakumara and Ranga Wimalawansa scraped through to the final of the event locking 3:03.9 secs. This entry also marks the finals in Sri Lanka’s fourth entry athletic events at the 16th Commonwealth Games. The quartets entry was possible mainly due to its faster timing recorded though they were placed fourth. Sri Lankan athlete Rohan Pradeep runing in lane one were far behind Jamaica 3:02.20, South Africa 3:02.90 and Australia 3:02.94 secs. Rohan Pradeep who ran the first lap could not keep pace with other competitors and handed over the baton to V. Ratnakumara at the sixth slot. Ratnakumara put everything into the race to close the gap to reach the fourth slot when changing baton with Ranga Wimalawansa. But the three front runners had a clear lead at this stage. Ranga Wimalawansa too kept the pace and was able to reduce the lead when handing over the baton to Sugath Tillekeratne for the last lap. Sugath as expected ran the lap in style to get very closer to front runners. This timing in this last lap helped the team to gain entry into the final. Observers were of the view that if Tillekeratne didn’t have that long gap he could have caught up the top three runners to clock a better timing for the event. The fastest recorded time for this event by the Sri Lankan quartet was 3:05.79 secs. at the Asian Championship in Fukuoka, Japan. Yesterday’s first semi final top winners though they qualified on placing failed to achieve Sri Lanka’s timing. These top three qualified teams clocked 3:03.30, 3:03.58 and 3:03.68 secs. respectively. It also went on to prove that Sri lankan athletes have gained a tremendous improvement at this 16th Commonwealth Games. The other three teams that qualified from second semi final above Sri Lanka clocked 3:02.20, 3:02.90 and 3:02.94 secs. respectively. Four athletes from Sri Lanka will have a tough battle today to be among the medals. Specially Jamaicans who clocked the fastest time for this event they clocked 3:02.20 secs. RESULTS Men's 4x400 metres
Kulawansa secures place in 100m hurdle final Sri Lanka’s second medal hope Sriyani Kulawansa qualified for the final when she clocked 12.94 secs. to win the second semi-final yesterday. Her timing for this event has brought to the third slot along with other finalists which assures at least a bronze medal. The final is scheduled for (5.00 p.m. Sri Lanka time) today. Her entry in to the final makes her the third athlete to enter a final after Duncan White’s entry in the year 1948 at the Auckland Games. Kulawansa had a very successful start in the second semi-final and took firm control of the event at the third hurdle which she kept until the finishing line. She was able to push back Leslie Tashin (Canada) 13.19 secs. to whom Kulawansa lost at the Singapore Open Athletic Meet few weeks back. At the Singapore meet Tashin clocked 13.66 while Kulawansa had a time of 13.68 secs. The finalists for 100m. hurdle event are as follows: Gillian Russel (Jamaica), Katie Anderson 12.87, Keri Maddox (England) 13.15, Corien Botha (South Africa) 13.19, Sriyani Kulawansa (Sri Lanka) 12.94, Leslie Tashin (Canada) 13.19, Bridset Foster (Jamaica) 13.28, Betorah Foster (Australia) 13.31. Results on fifth day Women's 100m hurdles
Billiard
nationals K. H. Sirisoma the reigning National Billard Champion will defend his title today when he takes as S. M. Shahawardi at SLBSA tables, Reid Avenue. Sirisoma defeated K. V. W. Jayasekera while S. M. Shahawardi overcame W. A. J. Weerasinge in the semi finals. W. A. J. Weerasinghe will confront K. V. W. Jayasekera for the third place. (BP) China beat Taipei 81-40, grabs Asian Junior
title China defeated Chinese Taipei 81-40 to grab the Asian Youth (Women) Basketball Championship here yesterday. China was right on top throughout this tournament to prove that they were in contention of the C'ship. The early stage of the final Chinese Taipei was in full control of the game and were ahead of their opponents with 37-28 points. In the preliminary round game too China defeated Taipei with a scoreline of 107-50. However Taipei cagers stalled the Chinese from reaching the three-figure mark with a stout hearted effort. In the second half China restricted Taipei cagers to 12 points while they went ahead amassing 42 points in this session. Chinese cagers made good use of the three point area to attack and score giving a scare to Taipei's defence with this tactic adopted their defence was torn apart. Cagers from China was at its best collecting all rebounds that came their way. They not only collected the rebound but also made sure that through good passes collected many vital points. The third place play off match saw Koreans overcame Japan 46-43, in the preliminary round game though Korea held a lead of 14 points. Japanese cagers fought back to defeat them. This third place final to Korea were ahead by 11 points. Japan tried everything what they had to overcome but managed only to reduce the lead held by Koreans. Japanese cagers made many mistakes during passes which brought them disaster at the end. Sri Lanka were slated at the eight position behind Malaysia, Uzbekhistan and Hong Kong. Sri Lanka who were placed eleventh at the last Championship fared little better to move three places up during this year's tournament pushing India to follow us. This also is the first occasion that we pushed ahead of India in the cager history. Chaminda 158 n.o. help Navy reach 438/7 Navy cricketer Chaminda Perera scoring a superb unbeaten knock of 158 runs surprised the fancied Seeduwa Raddoluwa CC when Navy posted 438/7 to record a first innings victory in an Under 23 cricket encounter at Welisara yesterday. Chaminda cracked three sixes and sixteen boundaries in his way to this unbeaten century. G. Hewage 84 and Harsha Liyanage 60 too helped sailors swell their score. Seeduwa Raddoluwa CC who batted first reached 258 when C. Delpachitra scored a top score of 79. P. Tissera and D. Perera too cracked two half centuries for SRCC. Harsha Liyanage bowled well to claim four wickets. Scores: Seeduwa Raddoluwa CC — 258 (C. Delpachitra 79, P. Tissera 52, D. Perera 57, Harsha Liyanage 4/41, Chaminda Perera 2/61) Navy 438 for 7 (Chaminda Perera 158 n.o., G. Hewage 84, Harsha Liyanage 60, K. G. Bandara 45, S. Priyankara 27 n.o., R. C. Kumara 24, M. Samarawickrema 3/156) (BP) Negombo CC registered a first innings victory over Old Anandians SC. Old Anandian who were 31/2 at close at the first day in reply to Negombo CC’s 235 were bundled out for 209 in 55.5 overs. Caneric Croos 4/46 and Lakmaka Fernando 3/75 bowled well to bring victory for Negombo Club., Thilina Kandambi top scored for Old Anandians with a fluent 54 while M. Mallawarachchi (38) and H. Abeysinghe (36) too contributed well toward Old Anandians. Negombo CC managed to total 105/4 at close in their second essay when Damien Fernando cracked an unbeaten 54 runs in style. In three of their Under 23 fixtures already Negombo have registered two first innings victories while the other game ended in a no decision. Negombo cc 235 and 105/4 at close (Damien Fernando 54 n.o., Nuwan Priyankara 20, S. Fernando 19) Old Anandian 31/2 overnight 209 in 55.5 overs (Thilina Kandambi 54, M. Mallawarachchi 38, H. Abeysinghe 36, Caneri Croos 4/45, Lakmalka Fernando 3/75) (BP) Sri
Lanka play in Group 'A' Sri Lanka's women spikers who arrived in Bangkok for the 9th Asian Women's Junior Volleyball Championship were included is Group A. The countries grouped along with Sri Lanka are Korea, Taipe, Malaysia and Thailand. The Group 'B' is packed with China, Japan, Vietnam, Singapore, India and Australia. The championships is scheduled to commence with a colourful opening ceremony at Sept. 22 in the city of Trang. Frank Fernando speaking to The Island said the team is a young talented one. He further added that the team is capable of posing a threat to other participants. On earlier occasions too our spikers have done their utmost to bring honour. According to coach D. N. Munasinghe the team is in topping condition and is expected to have two practice sessions in the morning and evening. |
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