Four Lankan athletes qualify for Youth Olympics

Four Sri Lankan athletes qualified for the Youth Olympic after producing their best performance at the Asian Youth Olympic Qualification trials concluded at Bangkok, Thailand on Wednesday.

Asian Junior Gold medalist steeple chase runner Wasanthi Maristella clocked a sizzling 6 minutes 35.20 seconds in the Girls 2000m Steeplechase to finish first in the Youth Olympic Asian trials and seal a place in the Youth Olympic games and get number one ranking in the world event. The Youth Olympic Games will be held in Buenos Aires, Argentina from October 6-18.

France’s Claire Palou was on top of the world under 18, 2000m steeplechase list with a time of 6 minutes 35.80 seconds and Maristella clocked five seconds better than that time to seal top of the world position at Bangkok. Her training mate Asmika Herath was placed third in the event.

Earlier in the championship another Sri Lankan runner Dilan Bogoda won the 400m with a time of 48.58 seconds and qualified for the Youth Olympics

High jumper Seniru Amarasinghe leaped 2.14m to become second in Asia and equal 3rd in the world to qualify for the Youth Olympics. His performance was equivalent to a silver medal performance at the last youth Olympics.

Sprinter Shelinda Jansen too qualified for the Youth Olympics.