Janashakthi excels at Mercantile Athletic Meet; wins Women’s Championship

Saturday, 1 December 2012 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Janashakthi continued to dominate the local athletic scene at the 29 Annual Mercantile Athletic Meet, winning the Women’s Championship category. Janashakthi emerged as champions of this category for the fourth consecutive year.

The athletes of Janashakthi garnered 11 Gold medals and three Silver medals. Chamika Jayamini, winner of the 1,500 m and 5,000 m, Niyomika Gimhani Jayathilaka winner of the 400 m and 400 m hurdles and Priyangika Madumanthi winner of the high jump event excelled at this meet. These three athletes set up five new meet records in their respective events. The Janashakthi team also established a new record in the four by 100 m women’s relay in the championship segment relay. Janashakthi Women Athletes have thus established a total of nine of the 16 meet records in the championship segment in the recent past.

Ishara Dayananda became the fastest female athlete of the meet winning both the 100 m and 200 m sprint events, as well as Silver in the 100 m hurdles event of the championship segment.

Managing Director Prakash Schaffter commenting on the performance of these company employees said that Janashakthi is extremely proud of this team for competing to their fullest potential. He further noted that Janashakthi is committed to developing rural athletes, such that they can bring honour to Sri Lanka, through their achievements on the international stage.

The calibre of these athletes were reflected in the women’s four into 400 relay event in the championship segment where the Janashakthi team comprising of Ishara Jayananda, Chamika Jayamini, Hiruni Weerasekara and Naomi Jayathilaka completed the race, while all the other teams were still on their third lap.

Priyangika Madumanthi was awarded the trophy for the Best Female Athlete of the meet, in recognition of her improving on her own high jump record. She also established a new record at the recently conducted 90 National Athletic Championships, in the women’s high jump event.

Janashakthi is also proud to have sponsored and developed Malin Udayakumara who recently represented Sri Lanka at the Australia State Championship for schools, winning the Boys under 20 long jump and 100 m hurdles events, at the athletic meet held in Victoria, Australia.