44th National Sports Festival unfolds today in Polonnaruwa

The 44th National Sports Festival organised by the Sports Ministry and Sports Development Department will unfold today (11 October) in Polonnaruwa under the patronage of President Sirisena. 

1,543 athletes representing all nine provinces will take part in this year’s competition while 443 officials will also join them to conduct this year’s sports festival.

Two former athletes from Polonnaruwa Kasun Kalhara Seneviratna the 400×4 relay bronze medal winner of the 2013 Asian Athletic Championships and A.G. Lalani Priyangika a member of the 2001 Asian Champion Netball team will take part at the Olympic touch barriers on the opening ceremony.

The four-day (11-14 October) event expected to be high competition with all leading athletes taking part provided the rain will not interrupt the competition schedule. All the track and field events will be starting from 12 October with 1000m Men’s marathon (6:15 a.m.) followed by 5000m women’s marathon.

100m men’s and women’s dash and 4x400 men’s and women’s finals are expected to take place as the final events of the festival on the last day.The closing ceremony will be held from 2:30 p.m. onwards on the final day of 14 October and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe is expected to grace the occasion as the Chief Guest.Special arrangement has been made by the Ministry of Sports for the journalists who intend covering the event. (HW)