Thursday 15th September, 2011 15

Kasun Kalhara (No. 258) wins the men’s 400 metres.

37th National Sports Festival The Women’s 1500-metre heat in progress. Athletics action from Diyagama

The athletics championship of the 37th National Sports Festival was worked off at the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Stadium at Diyagama from September 8 to 9. Chaminda (Pix by Sajith Jayasekara and Saman Abeysiriwardena) Wijekoon leads in the men’s 1,500 R. P. Perera of Western Province receives the Overall Championship metres. trophy from Sports Minister, Mahindananda Aluthgamage.

Jani Chathurangani wins the women’s 100 metres.

Chandrika Subashini was adjudged the Best Athlete in the women’s category. Here she wins the women’s 400 metres. Shehan Ambepitiya wins the men’s 200-metre heats.

Injury-time Change in equaliser ... Thiago Swann to England in Silva celebrates after scoring for vs. WIndies SLTA coaching AC Milan. LONDON (AP) — will returns to the squad and captain England for the first time in legspinner Scott Borthwick is the programme America had paid off as he opened the two Twenty20 internationals against other addition from the squad which scoring virtually from the kick-off. the West Indies next week. beat India by six last month. BY REVATA S. SILVA The Brazilian - who is engaged to AC The 32-year-old offspinner was “We have once again selected a Milan owner and Italian Prime Minister given the role Wednesday as both blend of experienced international The Tennis Silvio Berlusconi’s daughter - broke the Stuart Broad and Eoin Morgan — cap- performers, along with exciting young Association (SLTA) coaching Barcelona offside trap to run on and slot tain and vice captain — are out players with a great deal of talent,” programme, the main such the ball past goalkeeper Victor Valdes. injured. Miller said. “We have had a successful programme in the country, His 24 second strike was the fifth England test and one-day interna- summer to date and will be looking to which came under criticism fastest gola in Champions League history. tional captain Alastair Cook remains continue our form during the in the recent past due to its Barca, though, forced an equaliser late outside the Twenty20 squad, having Twenty20 series against West Indies failure in producing expected in the second-half as Lionel Messi some- not played in the shortest format for and finish the summer with two strong results, has undergone how managed to outstrip two Milan almost two years. performances. notable changes, the SLTA defenders in the box and get in his low “Graeme Swann is a highly respect- “We have selected 10 of the players Development Officer cross, which Pedro put away after running ed member of the England side,” who were involved in last month’s Bharathiraj Pillai revealed in unmarked at the far post. national selector Geoff Miller said. Twenty20 victory over India, while the yesterday (Sep. 13). The hosts, though, suffered a blow in “His experience and leadership quali- injuries to Stuart Broad and Eoin “We’ve introduced a sys- the 39th minute as Andres Iniesta had to ties will be invaluable when he leads a Morgan and the continued period of tem change where we will fol- go off injured to be replaced by the in- young England team next week — a rest for means we role he is very much looking forward bring four players into the squad.” low the latest ITF coaching form Cesc Fabregas. to.” ___ systems for the newcomers of But it didn’t stop their domination of England hosts the West Indies at England Squad: Graeme Swann, tennis,” Pillai said. the match and Villa’s sublime freekick gave them a deserved lead only to be the Oval on Sept. 23 and 25. James Anderson, Jonathan Bairstow, He also said there will be There is no place in the 14-man Ravi Bopara, Scott Borthwick, Tim at least three fulltime coaches squad for Kevin Pietersen, while bats- Bresnan, Danny Briggs, Jos Buttler, attached to the new pro- PARIS: Holders Barcelona and man Jonathan Bairstow and spinner Jade Dernbach, Steven Finn, Alex gramme. Vasantha English side Arsenal both saw Danny Briggs have been selected for Hales, Craig Kieswetter, , Chandrarathne and victory elude them in their Barcelona, the first time. Ben Stokes. Thishanth Parimalarajah opening matches of the Fast bowler James Anderson have already been appointed Champions League group as full-timers, Pillai further stages on Tuesday as late goals Arsenal hit by late revealed. The kids joining the left them with draws. programme will have to pay a A superb second-half free- minimum of Rs. 1,800. kick by David Villa looked to equalisers Sabaragamuwa Invitational Meanwhile Aasiri have secured Barca the three Iddamalgoda, head of coach- points after they had dominat- ing at the SLTA, said, by intro- ed the match with AC Milan, despite Schools Rugby on September ducing the new changes, they Alexandre Pato’s early goal, only for Thiago pegged back right at the end. wanted to make this key Silva to head home in the third minute of Arsenal struck just before the break after SRFU ( Sabaragamuwa Rugby Mawanella, Rajasinghe central coaching programme more time added-on to make it 2-2. an evenly fought first-half as van Persie Football Union), which is celebrating Ruwanwella, Peterson Rugby efficient. Arsenal looked to have secured a much- played a neat 1-2 with Theo Walcott and fin- its 17th anniversary this year, will con- Academy and Hisham Abdeen Rugby “With a lesser number of needed morale boosting win away against ished it off in style but Dortmund got a duct an invitational schools rugby Football Academy. Isipathana will coaches, we needed to expand German champions Borussia Dortmund until deserved draw thanks to Perisic. tournament on Saturday at the replace St. Anthony’s B in the under Chelsea and Leverkusen both had goals the player base of the SLTA a stunning volley by Ivan Perisic two minutes Kelaniweli grounds in Talduwa. 12 event. ruled out in the first-half but the London side programme. In the meantime from time saw the match end in a 1-1 draw. The competition will be open for Rotary club, Seethawaka and got on the board in the second-half through we’ve taken steps to move the Arsenal’s Premier League rivals Chelsea school kids falling under the ages of Rugby Development committee are coaches we already have to had no such problems as they won 2-0 against David Luiz with a brilliant effort. Recent Spanish signing Juan Manuel 12 and 14. Twelve teams in each cate- joining hands with the SRFU in mak- sections that are more suit- another German side Bayer Leverkusen - for Mata added a second in time added-on. gory will contest the tournament. The ing the tournament a success. Former able for them. Veteran and whom Michael Ballack started against one of Chelsea boss Andres Villas-Boas’s former teams contesting the under 14 tourna- Rugby stalwarts Lionel Almeida, Gen. highly respected coach George his former clubs. side Porto, the club he guided to the Europa ment are St. Anthony’s (A,B) D.S Denzil Kobbekaduwa, Quentin Israel Paldano also will be part of Pato showed that the extra rest he’d been League trophy last season, came from behind Senanayake, Science, Ananda, and Didacus De Almeida will be com- the new programme,” permitted by Milan coach Massimiliano to beat last season’s Champions League quar- Kingswood, Talduwa Buddhist school, memorated as the trophies awarded Iddamalgoda said. Allegri after returning from the Copa ter-finalists Shakhtar Donetsk 2-1. Eheliyagoda central, Zahira College are named after them. (CP)