by Reemus Fernando
Sprinters Nadeesha Ramanayake and Kalinga Kumarage and long jumper Sarangi Silva commenced from where they left exactly a year ago as they produced outstanding feats on day one of the 98th National Athletics Championship at the Sugathadasa Stadium on Saturday.
Ramanayake, who missed the South Asian Games in Nepal after being diagnose with dengue fever on her arrival there, recorded her personal best in winning the women’s 200 metres. Aided by a 1.8 tail wind, Ramanayake clocked 24.15 seconds to better her previous personal best recorded in August last year. The 26 year old sprinter from Southern Province was part of the Asian Championship 4×400 metres relay team which established a new national record in Doha in early 2019 and was expected to win medals in Nepal last December before dengue derailed her plans. She is expected to come all guns blazing when her pet event, the 400 metres, is held on the final day.