Tharushi won 2 Gold and a Silver while Jayeshi and Malith won Bronze each.
Young Sri Lankan athletes have performed well in the Asian U20 Athletics Championship held in Yecheon, South Korea. Tharushi Karunaratne from Rathnayake Central College, Walala entered this race as the third fastest 800M runner in the world this year. She won Sri Lanka’s first gold medal in the event with a time of 2:05.63 minutes to take the gold. This was the eighth gold medal won by Sri Lanka in the history of the Asian Under-20 Athletics Championship. Kazakhstan’s Nurmamet Akbayan and China’s Qin Yingying won the second and third positions, respectively. Last day of the event Sri Lanka has won another Gold medal in the 4x400m mixed relay event Tharushi Karunarathna, Jayeshi Uththara, Vinod Ariyawansha and Shehan Dilranga took part in the event with a time of 3:25.41 Minutes followed by South Korea (3:28.30) and India (3:30.13). Tharushi was the medal girl for the country in this competition by winning a Silver medal in her 400M event to tally 2 medals in the competition where Jayeshi Uththara from Holy Cross Gampaha won the Bronze. Meanwhile Malith Yasiru from Kahawatta Central College finished 3rd in the Triple Jump event behind Japanese and Chinese Jumpers to win the Bronze for the country. Sri Lankan finished 7th in the table totaling 5 medals where Japan grabbed the top spot for their 23 medal tally.
Cricketers have won the home ODI series against Afghanistan by 2-1 and Two Women cricketers shortlisted for the ICC monthly awards…
Afghanistan cricketers were shocked by Lankan cricketers opening the 3 match series by winning the first match by 6 wickets in Hambantota. Sri Lankans piled up 268 runs in their 50 overs where Charith Asalanka made 91 followed by Dhananjaya Silva 51 and Pathum Nissanka 38. Ibrahim Zadran’s run a ball 98 took Afghans to the target losing 4 wickets with 19 balls left. Lions came strongly to the second match by scoring 323/6 in their 50 where Kusal Mendis made 78 and Dimuth Karunarathne made 52. In return Sri Lankan bowlers sent the Afghanistan batsman home in the 42nd over to restrict them to 191 and enjoyed a massive 132 runs victory. Dhananjaya De silva and Wanidu Hasaranga grabbed 3 wickets each. The third and final ODI was the decider and Lankan bowlers destroyed Afghan innings in the 22nd over. Dushmantha chameera was leading the front by grabbing 4/63 where Wanidu Hasaranga was sharp to get 3/7. Sri Lanka chased 116 and reached the target by losing Pathum Nissanka for 51 in 34 balls. Dimuth took the Lions home with his unbeaten 56 to bring Sri Lankans a smile. The Lions next assignment is to qualify for the 2023 Cricket World cup in India and for this challenge they headed to Zimbabwe for the qualifiers to grab one of the two spots in the main draw.
Meanwhile Sri Lankan top women Cricketers have been named as nominees for the ICC Women’s Player of the Month award after they enjoyed successful performances across May. Skipper Chamari Athapaththu and Left-hand batsman Harshitha Madavi have gone from strength-to-strength for Sri Lanka, with their exploits during the Bangladesh tour. Both performed well with the bat during the series to give Sri Lankans a series win.
South Asia’s fastest man Yupun placed 2nd at Savona International in Italy -clocked 10.01sec
Sri Lankan sprint sensation Yupun Abeykoon clocked 10.01 seconds to come in second in the 100m sprint at the Savona International Meeting in Italy. Promising Lankan sprinter also considered as the fastest man in South Asia in the last 7 years. In June 2022, he became the first South Asian to run a 100m race under 10 seconds clocking 9.96s – fastest time ever recorded by a South Asian, the fourth-fastest by an Asian. Yupun made the motherland proud by putting Sri Lanka within the 32 countries in the world that have produced athletes who can run 100M under 10 seconds and there are only 170 athletes all-time in history to do so.
Saddest day for the Sri Lankan Rugby fans as IRB suspended Sri Lanka Rugby…
May 2023 was a sad month for Sri Lankan Rugby because the World Rugby Governing Body IRB decided to suspend 144 years old country’s Rugby Governing body. In response to concerns about the governance of Sri Lanka Rugby and a breach of the World Rugby Bye-Laws relating to political interference, the World Rugby Council has suspended Sri Lanka Rugby from World Rugby membership with immediate effect. This will bar upcoming Asian tournaments in the region where Tuskers had great history and memories.
Still Lankan sports men and women make the motherland proud and give a tiny reason to Sri Lankans to some sort of cheer amidst the crisis of political turmoil and an ailing economy. We always wish you all to bring more silverware and glory to our motherland in future.
Congratulations Roshan!
A Legend- Awarded Elite Sport.
We C𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐂𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐭 𝐋𝐞𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐝 , 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐫 𝐂𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐫𝐢 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐚𝐧 𝐂𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐭 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐮 Roshan Mahanama Trust 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐄 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐬.
𝐆𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐫 were, Vanushi Walters (MP), 𝐃𝐞𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐡 𝐑𝐮𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐥 (𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐬), Christopher Luxon, (𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 Party NZ)𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐏𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 (𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐍𝐙 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭), Brooke van Velden(MP)
By Nilanga Daldeniya – Wellington
