Lamine Diack, president of IAAF, compared the feat of sprint sensation Shehan Ambepitiya, who won a hat-trick of Gold medals at the recently concluded Commonwealth Youth Games, to Beijing Olympic hero Usain Bolt’s effort at the Athletic Association headquarters yesterday.

Diack, who has witnessed Usain Bolt’s running in his early years in regional championships and winning medals in Beijing said that Shehan Ambepitiya had done equivalent to what Bolt did in Beijing.

"Shehan is very impressive. He has done what Bolt did in Beijing. Like Bolt who won three medals with records, Shehan also won his events with records." said Diack.

Diack said that Bolt impressed him when he ran as a teenager in a regional event. "I said that he would do well in the future and he did exactly that when he won three medals at Olympics." Diack added.

Diack met Shehan Ambepitiya and a host of other young athletes at the NOC headquarters yesterday evening where he addressed the athletes and coaches.

Ambepitiya was awarded a cash prize of Rs. 1,25,000 for his excellence at the CYG at the NOC headquarters yesterday. Ambepitiya’s mates of the 4x100 meter relay team also won Rs. 25,000 each.