Sri Lanka’s Dulaj Lahiru and S.H.Nadishanee qualified for the finals of boys’ and girls’ segments at the 400 metres sprint events respectively on the opening day of the Asian Youth Sports Festival in Singapore yesterday.

Lahiru, a student of Joseph Vaz Vennappuwa, recorded a timing of 51.55 seconds as he came second in heat number 3 of the 400 metres sprint event.

Nadishanee, representing Track Masters Sports Club, recorded a timing of 59.63 seconds came third in heat number two of the same event for girls.

Both Lahiru and Nadishanee, speaking to journalists after the heats, said that they were a little nervous in taking part in the heats because this was their maiden athletics tour abroad. The due however, said that they were confident of performing better at the finals.

They were the only members of the Sri Lankan athletics contingent to make it to any of the finals.

Sri Lanka’s Nimesha Maduhshanee was unlucky to miss out on a probable bronze medal by as little as 0.3 metres in the girl’s high jump event. Madushanee retained an achievement of 1.65 metres while the gold medal went to an athlete from Chinese Taipei who retained an achievement of 1.75 metres.

Today Sri Lanka’s sportsmen and women will be seen in action at basketball, beach volleyball and table tennis. Sri Lanka’s swimmers are expected to take part in swimming events tomorrow.

India had the honour of winning the first gold medal at the Asian Youth Sports Festival which has attracted entries from 1400 participants, representing 42 countries.

It is reported that the wide spreading swine flue in Singapore had affected one of the participants at the games. But games officials said that the patient had recovered fully after receiving treatment.

Team manager Nishantha Piyasena told The Island that the entire Sri Lankan contingent was in the best of health.