By Anjana Kaluarachchi

CT Sports: Long Jumper Chamali Dilrukshi Priyadarshani (NCD) and Hammer Thrower Ayesha Maduwanthi continued their golden run this year as both set new Sri Lanka records at the Athletics Championship of 41st National Sports Festival continued at Diyagama yesterday.

The defending long jump champion of the South Asian Games, NCD returned to her career best jump of 6.43m in her 5th attempt of the competition to erase the long standing National record of 6.35m set by Nayanthi Chandrasena back in 2002.
NCD was in prime form when she clocked her career best 11.75 seconds in the 100m and 6:40m in the long jump 2 weeks ago at the same venue in SAG selection trials, and the National record was within touching distance even then, as one of her jumps went past the record yet was declared fault as she marginally exceeded the take off limit.

SL record dilemma for Maduwanthi
National record holder of Hammer Throw, Ayesha Maduwanthi had mixed feelings when she threw 43.18m, which was announced as a new Sri Lanka record erasing her record of 42.74m set at the last edition of the festival. Maduwanthi threw a better distance of 43.62m at the Uva Province Sports Festival but the record is yet to be officially accepted by the Athletics Association (AASL), though it's been more than a month since her record breaking performance.
"It's funny that my best performance is listed as 43.62m in this year's festival book but still the National record is 42.74m which I set last year, and they are announcing this distance (43.18m) as the new National record" said Maduwanthi after the event.
According to recorder Saman Kumara, AASL had not received the necessary official documents about her record and event from Uva provincial officers, though the Director of Sports at Uva Province, Geetha Pathiranawasam stated they had submitted all necessary documents to both AASL and the Sports Ministry.

Meanwhile, Maduwanthi expressed her feelings about scrapping of the Hammer Throw event from SAG schedule, as her hopes for SAG is already shattered though she continued her record breaking feat.
"We (Hammer Throwers) never get an opportunity to compete in any international championship as they don't send us. This (SAG) is a regional festival and if my event is there I will have a chance to add an international medal to my tally for the country, but scrapping events like this will not encourage new athletes to take up this event and it will also decrease the competitiveness of this event" said Maduwanthi.
Airwoman Maduwanthi (26) hailing from Sevanagala, Embilipitiya, who trains under coach Madhawa Senarath, had shifted to Hammer Throw from Discus Throw because of an injury she sustained in her collar bone a little more than an year ago, and she has since excelled in both disciplines, while her injury too had vanished.

Amazing 200m
Vinoj Suranjaya de Silva, the training partner of Sri Lanka's fastest man, Himasha Eashan, created a sensational 200m run of 21.02 seconds, a new meet record and the fourth fastest time by a Sri Lankan athlete in the history of 200m behind Sugath Thilakaratne , Rohan Pradeep Kumara and Prasanna Amarasekara. De Silva erased the meet record set by Shehan Ambepitiya of 21.28 sec. In the women's 200m, young Rumeshika Rathnayake beat the defending champion and 6th place finisher in the last Asian Games Chandrika Rasnayake with a time of 24.12 seconds running in heavy rain.
In the other events of the day, Ishara Sandaruwan (4.83m) in pole vault, Nimali Liyanarachchi (2 minutes 05.32 sec) in 800m and Eranga Dulakshi (59.51 seconds) in 400m hurdle set new meet records.
The Festival was hampered by heavy rain in the afternoon where 100m heats, Men's High Jump and Men's Discus throw was postponed for today.