Two Golds for Sri Lanka at Asian Junior Athletics Championships

Sri Lanka won two Gold medals on the second day of the Asian Junior Athletics Championships in Yecheon South Korea, in the girls’ 800m and the 4x400m Mixed Relay events. 

Tharushi Dissanayaka won Gold in the girls’ 800m, finishing just under five seconds ahead of her nearest rival, before she returned to win her second Gold in the 4x400m Mixed Relay. 

In the girls’ 800m event, Dissanayaka finished with a time of 2 minutes and 05.634 seconds, ahead of Akbayan Nurmamet of Kazakhstan (2:10.216) and Yingying Qin of China (2:11.132). 

The 4x400m Mixed Relay, comprising Vinodh Ariyawansha, Jayeshi Uththara, Shehan Dilranga and Karunaratne, completed the event in 3:25.410 secs, which was a new national record, ahead of South Korea (3:28.293) and India (3:30.129). 

Sri Lanka also won a Bronze medal in boys’ Triple Jump event, with Yasiru Malith leaping a distance of 15.82 metres. 

Manato Miyao of Japan won Gold with a jump of 16.28m, while China’s Yinglong Ma took Silver with a distance of 16.22m 

Dinara Dela Bandara however was unable to add to the medal tally, finishing last in the girls’ 100m with a time of 12.049 seconds. 

The event was won by China’s Shiqi Xiong with a time of 11.615 secs, ahead of compatriot Xiajun Liu who clocked 11.850 secs. 

Thailand’s Phetkun Athicha was third, finishing on 11.855 secs.