By Susil Premalal reporting from Badulla

Sri Lanka pole vault women’s record holder Anitha Jegatheeswaran of Northern Province became the first gold medallist in athletics at the 45th National Sports Festival being held at the Vincent Dias Stadium in Badulla.

The 26-year-old from Jaffna won the gold medal with a leap of 3.30 metres which was short of her Sri Lanka record of 3.55m set last year. She is the holder of the Games record of 3.48m which mark she set in 2017.

Western Province athletes Udeni Silva and Lakshani Perera won the silver and bronze medals clearing distances of 3.10m and 3.00m respectively.

The Sri Lanka record holder in the men’s Long Jump event Amila Jayasiri from North Western Province suffered a shock defeat at the hands of J.H.G. Sampath from Uva. Sampath leapt a distance of 7.34 metres while Jayasiri cleared a distance of 7.32m. Jayasiri holds the record of 8.15 in the long jump. The bronze medal went to K. Karunasekera (7.29m) of North Western Province.

Six athletics finals were held in the morning session while seven more final events were scheduled to start late in the evening today, including the 10,000m men’s race.

Nine finals are scheduled on the second day of athletics tomorrow (26). They are: Pole Vault (men), 800m (men and women), Discus Throw (women), Shot Putt (men), Triple Jump (men), Javelin Throw (women) and 4 x 100m relay for men and women.

The men’s football final between Northern and Southern Province teams is scheduled to kick-off at 7.15pm tomorrow at the same venue.

The festival will conclude with athletic event.

Results:

Finals

Pole Vault (women): 1. Anitha Jegatheeswaran (NP) 3.30m, 2. Udeni Silva (WP) 3.10m, 3. Lakshani Perera (WP) 3.22m

Long Jump (men): 1. J.H.G. Sampath (Uva) 7.34m, 2. Amila Jayasiri (NWP) 7.32m, 3. K.K.M.K. Karunasekara (NWP) 7.29m

High Jump (men): 1. Thiwanka Perera (WP) 2.12m, 2. K.C.L. Mendis (SP) 2.10m, 3. P.S. Tharuka Fernando (NWP) 2.01m

Long Jump (women): 1. Anjani Pulwansa (WP) 5.96m, 2. W.V.L. Sugandhi (WP) 5.76m, 3. S.H. Henderson (WP) 5.67m

Hammer Throw (men): 1. M.D.R. Sisira Kumara (SP) 47.67m, 2. K.K.D.M. Dharmasena (SGP) 45.74m, 3. W.G.SR. Kumarasiri (NCP) 44.95m

Shot Putt (women): 1. Nadeeka Muthunayake (CP) 12.19m, 2. P.A. Priyangika Kumari (SP) 12.08m, 3. P.P.S. Clarens (Uva) 11.37m