Lahiru Achintha sets new 3000m record 

By Susil Premalal

Promising schoolboy athlete Lahiru Achintha of St. Aloysius College, Ratnapura, stole the limelight on the opening day of the 93rd Sir John Tarbat Senior Athletic Championship 2025 by breaking an 11-year-old record yesterday at the Mahinda Rajapaksa stadium in Diyagama.

Achintha clocked 8.44.18 seconds in the Under-18 boys’ 3000m event, shattering the previous record of 8.48.46 seconds set in 2014 by Sahan Chaturanga of Dikwella Vijitha MMV. 

LRM Bandara of Ratnayake MMV finished second with a time of 9.20.93 seconds while D. Benthota of Trinity College secured third place clocking 9. 22.22. 

Another record was set by Deesara Hearth of Maris Stella College, Negombo, who produced a leap of 7.27m in the Under-18 boys’ long jump, surpassing the previous rec ord of 7.20m established in 2022 by R. Carrim of Lyceum International School, Panadura.

DKM Abeyrathna of President’s College, Embilipitiya, created history in the Under-18 girls’ high jump by clearing 1.70m to break the previous record of 1.69m held by VPN Samadhi of Dickwella Vijitha MMV.