Walagedara SC and Path SC win 5km Beach Run

Walagedera SC Matugama the champion Under 20 Boys team

Path SC Kalutara the champion Under 20 Girls team

Walagedara SC Matugama and Path SC Kalutara came out on top at the 5km Beach Run conducted by the Kalutara District Athletics Association held at the Panadura Beach.  
Walagedara SC bagged the Under 20 Boys and Open Men’s titles while Path SC clinched the Under 20 Girls title and came out as the second best team in the Under 20 Boys and Open Men’s events.  

Meanwhile Path SC concluded the year 2023 campaign on a successful note. The athletes trained by Path Academy saw them ending with success. In the individual events, 17 year-old Kavishka Hansana settled for the runner up position in the Under 20 boys’ race and 15 year-old Ranuri Sammani clinched the second runner up position in the Under 20 girls’ race for them.  

The championship winning Under 20 girls’ team of Path SC included Ranuri Sammani, Nethmi Dileka, Sahanya Nethmini, Achini Madushani and Gree Senze.  
The Under 20 boys’ team of Path SC, led by Kavishka Hansana, was inclusive of Dilindu Lakshan, Pasan Randima, Udara Abilasha, Owens Fernando and Ishara Nilushan and the members of the Open Men’s event comprised of Pasindu Niroshan, Hashen Prabodha, Yoshitha Cooray, Nesanda Pasindul and Navithu Nimsath.   

The athletes involved in Path Academy’s ‘Path to Success’ training programme experienced their best year in track and field as they tasted success at schools’ athletic competitions in the early part of the year whilst producing athletes of repute.  

An exceptional is Kavishka Hansana an athlete from Magalkanda Buddhist KV who dominated the Kalutara Zonal Athletics Championship winning the Under 18 boys’ 3000 metres, 1500 metres and the 800 metres before clinching the champion position in the 3000 metres and the runner up position in the same age category at the Western Province Schools Meet held at the Sugathadasa Stadium.  

At the top national competitions, Hansana’s best achievement was winning the second place in the Under 18 boys’ 2000 metres steeplechase at the Asian Youth Championship trial held early this year. While Dilindu Lakshan of the same school won the 400 metres sprint at the Kalutara Zonal event, Hiruna Tharuka excelled in the javelin throw.  

Yoshitha Cooray an athlete from Ariyawansa National School, Beruwala joined the ‘Path to Success’ programme just a year ago and achieved success at Kalutara Zonal Athletics Championships winning both the Under 16 javelin and discus throw events. Ranuri Sammani also from Ariyawansa NS, Beruwala dominated the Under 16 girls’ 800 metres at the Kalutara Zonal championships.  

There are over 40 schools athletes attending daily training under the ‘Path to Success’ programme conducted by the Path Academy affiliated to Perambara Cultural Forum, which helps student athletes of underprivileged schools of Kalutara District achieve success in both sports and studies.

-MSA