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Wednesday, 4 December 2019 01:44 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
By Naushad Amit in Nepal
Nilani Ratnayake bagged Sri Lanka’s first athletics gold medal, pipping India’s Chanda by milliseconds in the Women’s 1,500 m final held on the third day of the 13th South Asian Games (SAG), worked off at the Dasharath Rangashala in Kathmandu, Nepal yesterday.
Ratnayake, the current holder of Sri Lanka 5,000 m and 3,000 m steeplechase titles, was not an entry in the Women’s 1,500 m event, as she was not even considered to make the SAG contingent.
But the withdrawal of celebrated long-distance runner Hiruni Wijayaratne, who was supposed to run the Women’s 5,000 m, gave Ratnayake a way on to the team. Her inclusion was ridiculed by some but Ratnayake proved these critics wrong with her run, which included a thrilling final sprint, to see her winning in a time of 4 minutes and 34.34 seconds. 
Her gold medal amply justifies her last-minute inclusion to the squad in place of Nimali Liyanaarachchi, who had to withdraw after an unfortunate motor accident. Ratnayake was following Chanda of India, but with an injection of pace was able to push the Indian runner into the silver medal position. The Indian clocked 4 minutes and 34.51 seconds while India’s Chitra Palakeez finished third in a time of 4 minutes and 35.46 seconds.
Considered the fastest man in South Asia, Himasha Eshan failed to impress in the Men’s 100 m final, falling short by 0.01 seconds to the Maldives’ Saaid Hassan, who pocketed the gold medal. Eshan, who holds the South Asia 100 m record, had clocked 10.22 seconds this season and it was predicted that the sprint would be a cakewalk for him.
Eshan got off to a slightly late start and by the time he accelerated over the final few metres, the Maldivian sprinter had claimed the gold medal. The gold medal-winner Hassan clocked 10.49 seconds, while Eshan finished his run close behind in 10.50 seconds. Pakistan’s Sami Ullah clocked 10.66 seconds to claim the bronze medal.
Sri Lanka’s Vinoj Suranjaya de Silva had a bad day, as he failed to live up to expectations and later injured himself after crossing the finish line in the final, failing to balance his run. He was badly bruised and received medical treatment.
Amasha de Silva gave Sri Lanka its second silver medal in athletics, finishing behind India’s Archana Suseent in the Women’s 100 m final. Suseent clocked 11.80 seconds to win gold and De Silva finished behind in 11.82 seconds to claim the silver medal. Lakshika Sugandi recorded her personal best timing of 11.84 seconds to win the bronze medal.
Dulanjali Ranasinghe cleared 1.69 m to claim the silver medal in the Women’s High Jump event, as Sri Lanka failed to claim top finishes in the Men’s High Jump and men’s 1,500 m events.
Long-distance runner Hiruni Wijayaratne failed to live up to expectations in the women’s 10,000 m event, as she finished fourth behind India’s Santoshi Shrestha and Kavita Yadav, who claimed the gold and silver while Wijayaratne’s compatriot Nilani Lanka Ariyadasa won the bronze medal with a barefoot run.At Pokhara, Eranga Weerasinghe won a gold medal in the Women’s Decathlon event, which included a 5 km run followed by a 20 km cycle race and another 2.5 km run. She clocked 1 hour, 5 minutes and 58 seconds to finish the whole course, as her teammate Iresha Udaya Kumari won the bronze medal. Lakmal Perera won the bronze medal in the Men’s Decathlon event. Meanwhile, Sri Lankan medal hopeful Nadeesha Ramanayaka was admitted to a local hospital in Kathmandu after she developed a fever yesterday. She was slotted to run in the Women’s 200 m, 400 m and the 4x400 m relay, but her appearance will depend upon her fitness.
Results
Taekwondo bags three medals
Anura Bandara bagged a silver medal in the Men’s 54 kg weight category at the Taekwondo Competition of the 13th South Asian Games at Saldobado in Kathmandu. The taekwondo athletes, who bagged three gold medals, added three more to their tally yesterday, including Bandara’s silver and two more bronze medals.
Lakmal Thilakaratne won the bronze medal in the Men’s 68 kg event, and Ishara Piyumali claimed a bronze in the Women’s 46 kg category. Today six events in taekwondo have been lined up at the same venue.
Karatekas add six more bronze medals
Sri Lanka athletes added six more bronze medals in karate yesterday, at the Covered Hall in Sandobado, Kathmandu. The bronze medals were won by Prasanga Sandaruwan (Men’s 60 kg and Under), Kanchana Lakmal (Men’s 67 kg and Under), Tharika Samanmali (Women’s 55 kg and Under), Pooja Piyumanthi (Women’s 68 kg and Under), Buddhika Erandi (Women’s 61kg and Under) and Kasun Danushka (Men’s 75kg and Under).
Pix by Sameera Peiris
