The Sri Lanka Army Women’s 4x1500 meter relay team came close to establishing a new record, courtesy an official blunder as they ran one lap short to clock 18 minutes 10 seconds in the 4x1500 Women’s Relay on the second day of the National Relay Carnival, at the Sugathadasa Stadium, yesterday.

Conducted under fading light, the officials failed to count the exact number of laps run by the winning team in the 4x1500 meter relay and that gave Army Women a brief time to celebrate a record breaking feat. However, after the intervention of some alert officials the timing of the event was made null and void.

The Army team comprising Geethani Rajasekara, D. A. Inoka, Ganga Abeyratne and Champika Dilrukshi finished first in the controversial relay which ended at around 6.20 pm. Air Force and Ratnapura District finished second and third.

The Sri Lanka Army dominated the other open events yesterday.

Nayomika Gimhani of Sumanabalika Vidyalaya Ratnapura aggregated 3387 points to beat her closest rival Thilini Madushika of Mary Immaculate Convent by a massive lead of over 500 points to emerge champion in the Heptathlon conducted by the Athletic Association alongside the National Relay Carnival at the Sugathadasa Stadium yesterday.

Gimhani impressed in the 100 meters hurdles and 200 meters clocking the best time before clearing 5.10 meters to record the best distance in the long jump. Although her performances in the javelin, 800 meters, high jump and shot put were below the performances of her counterparts her impressive feats in the other events collected enough points to be the best in the heptathlon.

The event, dominated by Sumana Balika, who featured at least nine participants, saw last year’s first and second runners-up changing positions behind Nayomika Gimhani.