The Island, Friday 25th August, 2006 in SAG soccer final for first time by Champika Fernando Lalramluaha opened scor- Sri Lanka produced a ing for the visitors in the stunning performance to first 15 minutes of extra sneak past India to qualify time with a direct free kick for finals of the 10th South to the net from just metres Asian Games Soccer cham- outside the penalty box. pionships at the muddy A few minutes later, the Sugathadasa stadium, on referee offered a penalty to Thursday. the Indians over a handball Sri Lanka completed a 7 which would goals to 6 win against the have decided neighbours in a penal- the fate of the ty shoot out match. But that saw the Indian the home Beat India 7-6kicker failed to con- side making vert. its first-ever on penaltiesThe visitors led 1 nil in entry into the the first session of extra final round of the SAG time. But in the second Soccer Championship. half, after some controver- The massive crowd who sial decision by the referee, were in attendance to sup- the Sri Lanka camp was port their local heroes cele- offered a free kick over a brated the victory of their handball inside the box local heroes as their started which D. L. N. Perera con- with singing and dancing. verted giving the much With the scores nil all at needed goal for the home the final whistle, after some side. sloppy play by both sides, At the end of extra time the game went into extra the scores were one all and time. the referee called for penal- Sri Lankan football players celebrate after beating India 7-6 on penalties in the semi-final of the 10th SAG football championship at the Sugathadasa Stadium yesterday. Indian mid-fielder ties to decide the game. - Pic. Chandrasiri Weerasinghe.

TODAY’S ATHLETICS FINALS 5 pm Women’s High Jump 6.40 pm Men’s 400m Hurdles Lakmali upsets Anne Maheshi 5 pm Women’s Long Jump 7 pm Men’s 5 pm Men’s Shot Put 7.30 pm Women’s 10000m 5 pm Women’s Discuss Throw 8 pm Women’s 400m Susie and Rohan Pradeep dazzle 5 pm Women’s 100m Hurdles 8.15 pm Men’s 400m by Champika Fernando Weerasooriya missed out on a pos- Sri Lanka will be eyeing gold in Women’s 1500m - 5.15 pm Men’s 110m 8.30 pm Women’s 4x100m sible medal as he pulled a muscle at the 110m hurdles, 400m men’s hur- 1. S. Shanti (Ind) 4:14:26 secs 6.05 pm Men’s 5000m 8.40 pm Men’s 4x100m Nadeeka Lakmali created the the death and finished fourth in a dles women’s 10,000m, 400m men, 2. Sinimoule Paulose (Ind) 4:14:71 secs biggest upset on the first day of the time of 21.78 seconds. and men’s and women’s short relay. 3. Shanika Samanmali (SL) 4:30:61 secs athletic competition as she beat hot Second place went to Vishal Sri Lanka could be a dark horse in Men’s 1000m - favourite Anne Maheshi to steal the Saxena of India (21.51) followed by the women’s 400m dash with young 1. Surender Singh (Ind) 29:41:30 secs women’s javelin throw gold while Muhammed Imran of Pakistan sprinter Menaka Wickramasinghe 2. Regunath Sadasivam (Ind) 29:43:09 secs and Rohan (21.52 secs). aiming for her first ever interna- 3. M. Ajanthan (SL) 31:01:34 secs Pradeep Kumara clinched gold Sri Lanka finished day one with tional medal. Women’s 5000m - medals in the women’s and men’s three gold medals, five silver However, all eyes will be on Sri 1. O.P. Jaisha (Ind) 16:03:11 secs 80 43 26 149 200m sprints at the floodlit medals and three bronze medals. Lanka’s Rohan Pradeep Kumara 2. D.A. Inoka (SL) 16:37:41 secs Sugathadasa Stadium, on Sri Lanka’s silver medals came who is expected to complete a 3. Pareeja Shreedharan (Ind) 16:52:51 secs 22 25 41 88 Thursday. in the women’s shot putt, men’s sprint double and on Indian Anju Men’s Long Jump - 20 43 47 110 Young Lakmali hurled a dis- 1500m, men’s long jump, women’s George in the women’s long jump. 1. Wayne Pepin (Ind) 7.73m tance of 50.73 metres for her gold, javelin throw and women’s 5000m 2. Prasad Dharmaratne (SL) 7.46m 05 05 18 28 Sri Lanka’s first gold medal in ath- while the four bronze medals were Yesterday’s Results of Finals: 3. Muhammad Riaz (Pak) 7.31m 01 10 21 32 letics while compatriot Ann man- won in the men’s 10000m and men’s Men’s 200m - Men’s Pole Vault - aged 49.85 to take the silver. Anne, and women’s1500 metre races. 1. Rohan Pradeep (SL) 21.14 secs 1. Muhammad Ayub (Pak) 4.78m 00 02 08 10 with a personal best of 55.61 metres In the ten finals concluded on 2. Vishal Saxena (Ind) 21.51 secs 2. Muhammed Zafar (Pak) 4.70m 00 00 04 04 was expected to break the national day one, India continued their dom- 3. Muhammad Imran (Pak) 21.52 secs 3. Vadi Velu (Ind) 4.50m 00 00 00 00 record but failed in all her attempts inance, winning six gold medals Women’s 200m - Women’s Shot Put - to surpass the 50 metre mark. while Pakistan grabbed the other 1. Susanthika Jayasinghe (SL) 22.99 secs 1. Saroj Sihag (Ind) (Best Result) 14.96m Though Lakmali’s feat deserves gold medal on offer. 2. H.P.S. Buddhika (SL) 24.24 secs 2. M.N. Muthunayake (SL) 14.45m At 10:00 p.m. yesterday (24) respect, the performances of the Meanwhile, 14 gold medals are 3. Poonam Tomar (Ind) 24.62 secs 3. Zeenat Parveen (Pak) 14.07m sprint duo stole the show on the on offer today and Sri Lanka are Men’s 1500m - Women’s Javelin Throw - opening day, with their dazzling expected to win at least six gold 1. Hamsa Chatholi (Ind) 3:44:50 secs 1. Nadeeka Lakmali (SL) 50.73m performance on the track. medals in their quest to win 15 gold 2. W.M.C.I. Wijekoon (SL) 3:45:60 secs 2. Anne Maheshi (SL) 49.85m Susanthika clocked an medals. 3. P.H. Chamal (SL) 3:53:73 secs 3. Gurmeet Gaur (Ind) 46.45m improved 22.99 seconds in a one off final that saw her taking a clear five metre lead in the final 75 metres. Sri Lanka also begged the silver medal, even in the absence of veter- an athlete Damayanthi Darsha as young Sujani Buddika defended her silver medal with a time of 24.24 seconds. Third place went to Indain Poonam Tomar with a time of 24.62 secs. Speaking to the media soon after the race, the star attraction said that nobody can stop her win- ning as long as she has the bless- ings of her supporters. “I am really happy today even though I missed out on the record. The timing was as good as ever and certainly would have improved had I got a tough challenge,” she said. Jayasinghe last won an interna- tional meet at the last in Pakistan in 2004 where she won the 200m dash and returned to the track after a long- lay off, due to injury. In the men’s 200 metres, Rohan Pradeep rode to victory. The South Asian Games record holder clocked an impressive 21.14 secs to clinch Sri Lanka’s third gold medal of the day. However, compatriot S. M. Susanthika and Rohan Pradeep celebrate after winning the 200 metres finals. - Pic Kamal Wanniarachchi.

Friday 25th August, 2006