Madhushani renews 26-year-old long jump record

By Susil Premalal

(Daily Mirror) - Madhushani Herath of Nannapurawa MV, Bibila shattered a 26-year-old record on the third day of the Sri Lanka Athletic Junior National Championships, which continued at the Mahinda Rajapaksa Sports Complex in Diyagama.

This meet is also the final selection trial to form the junior national athletic pool in preparation for the fourth South Asian Junior Athletic Championships 2024, which will be held in September in Chennai, India.

Record-holder Madhushani produced a splendid performance of 6.32m in the Girls’ Under-20 long jump final and bettered the previous mark of 6.06m set by Anoma Suriyaarachchi of Southlands BMV, Galle in 1998.

Adithya Fernando of Sri Sumangala Girls’ School, Panadura secured second place with a performance of 5.74m while H. R. D. S. Ranasinghe of the Army SC took third place with an effort of 5.51m.

In addition, Sashini Perera of St. Bridget’s Convent, Colombo set up a new mark in the Girls’ Under-16 hammer throw event with a performance of 30.42m.

She bettered the previous record held by Sauri Mendis of the Navy SC.

Meanwhile, Tharuka Dhananjaya of Sri Lak Athletic Club (Under-23 Men’s javelin throw) also set up a new meet record with a performance of 70.89m.

He bettered the previous record of 69.02m set in 2010.

Altogether four new meet records were established on the penultimate day and the total records were 20.