Akila Channaka gives first silver for Sri Lanka

Three Sri Lankan athletes took the field at the Thammasat Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand yesterday and returned with happy faces as soldier Akila Channaka Feranando won the third medal for Sri Lanka at the ongoing Thailand Open Athletics Championships. Fernando who made his debut appearance at an international meet made Sri Lanka proud when he won the silver medal in the 20,000m race walking event , clocking 1hour and 40.11 minutes to win his first international medal. The second Lankan athlete who was in action yesterday, female race walker NC Damayanthi did not finish her event.
Adding more colours to the Lankan picture at the Thammasat University track last evening, Chandrika Subhashini Rasnayake and A R M Rajaskhan easily made it through to the finals of the women's and men's 200 metre finals respectively. Chandrika was no match for others in her event as she finished almost 25 metres ahead of the second placed Thai athlete, clocking 24.84 seconds in the second heat, showing that she is the favourite in the women's 200 metres as well as the 400 metres finals. During the heats of the men's 200 metres,

Rajaskhan also showed that he is also the hot favourite to win the gold when he finished his heat in 21.6 seconds.

Sri Lanka now has three medals in their possession, however they missed the two of men's and women's 100 metres medal hopes, in which Shehan Ambepitiya and Jani

Chathurangani Silva both finished fourth in their respective finals. Niluka Geethani Rajasekara won the women's 1500m gold medal, Manjula Kumara won the bronze medal in the men's high jump event while Akila Fernnado won the silver in the men's 20,000 metres race walking last morning.

Speaking to Daily News, silver medalist Fernando said that he is happy for being able to win a medal in his maiden international event.

"I was nervous and did race from behind rather than leading from the start, resulting slowing myself down in the first 1000 metres which I normally do around 4.30 minutes. Here it took me more than five minutes. So I thought of finishing the event with a medal, instead of going chasing better timing," said Fernando who claims that this was his first race walking experience over 10000m on a synthetic track.

"I have participated in many 20k races but never did those on this kind of a track. All 20km walks are usually conducted on the roads when we compete in Sri Lanka,Óadded Fernando. Thailand's Kittipong Jonduang won the gold medal clocking 1 hour and 39 minutes.

"Mohomad Afiz of Malaysia finished third (1:41.49). Fernando, an enthusiastic 25-year-old athlete who joined Sri Lankam Army to serve as an athlete, is an old boy of Daluwakotuwa St.Anne College.