The team captain, Chaminda Wijekoon and Rohitha Pushpakumara brought consolation to the Sri Lankan camp when they qualified for their respective events at the heats as a host of other athletes failed in their efforts, on the first day of the Asian Athletics Championship which commenced at Guangdong Olympic Stadium, Guangzhou, China yesterday.

Wijekoon qualified for the next stage in the men’s 1500 meters when he finished third clocking a time of 3 minutes and 46.26 seconds in the first heat of the event.

Meanwhile, Mohammed Othman of the KSA won the event by producing a time of 3:44.82. Wijekoon’s Indian counterpart Chatholi Hamza finished in 3:46.24 minutes to be placed second.

Rohitha Pushpakumara qualified for the next stage in the men’s 400 meters when he finished third with a timing of 47.03 seconds in the heats, while the defending champion of the event Prasanna Amarasekara, was disqualified.

The duo’s performances brought relief to the Sri Lankan team after almost all other athletes failed to qualify in the heats.

Achala Dias was placed sixth in the women’s 100 meter heats with a timing of 12.38 seconds while Chandrika Subashini finished with a timing of 55.32 minutes to finish sixth in the women’s 400 meters heats, but failed to qualify.

S.M. Weerasuriya was sixth in the 100 meter heats with a timing of 11.12 seconds. N.C.D. Priyadharshani was scheduled to take part in the women’s long jump yesterday but the result was not available at the time this edition went to press.