Mahamaya, Kandy felicitates athlete Akshana Maralande
by Upananda Jayasundera – Kandy Sports Special Corr.
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Mahamaya honours Akshana Maralande... Mahamaya Principal
Indra Withanachchi presents a trophy to Akshana Maralande,
watched by the teachers. Pictures by Upananda Jayasundera –
Kandy Sports Special Correspondent.
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ATHLETE FELICITATED: Mahamaya Girls College, Kandy felicitated one of
the foremost athletes produced by the school – Akshana Maralande at a
special assembly of the school.
The occasion was honour Akshana brought to the school when she led
the Sri Lanka athletic team at the Commonwealth Games held in United
Kingdom early this year. She also led the Sri Lanka Youth Athletic team
to ‘Leel’ France this year.
Akshana’s pet event that she participated in at the two meets was the
100 metres. However at the Commonwealth Games she pulled out due to
injury after coming sixth with a timing of 12.9 second at the Youth
Championships held in France.
She is really an outstanding athlete and competes in races for the
love of the sport. At the Junior National Athletic Meet held in Colombo,
Akshana won both the 100 and 200 events in the under 18 age group. She
was the outstanding athlete at the meet.
In 2010 she ‘clocked’ 12.29 seconds in the under 18 age group to
establish a new record at the Junior National Meet and also won the 200
metres event. She became the best athlete at that meet too.
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Here she comes – the top athlete Akshana Maralande
accompanied by senior students is led to the special
assembly at Mahamaya Girls College, Kandy. |
The achievements of Akshana Maralande helped her to represent Sri
Lanka at the Junior Asian Games held in Hanoi, Vietnam and also at the
Junior World Championships held in Menton, Canada. She was placed fifth
in the semi-final at the World Junior Championship in Canada. Akshana is
a girl who put her best effort forward when she was put forward to
compete in international competitions. In 2009. She was a member of the
Sri Lanka relay team at the Youth Asian Athletic Championships and
helped her team to win the bronze medal in Singapore.
The other members were: Nadishani Henderson (Gateway Rajagiriya),
Pabasara Senanayake, Nimesha Siriwardena (Gale bindunuwewa,
Anuradhapura).
Then in 2008, she gave indications of her improvement in athletics
when she ‘clocked’ 12.67 seconds at the All-Island Meet while competing
in the under 15 age group. The Principal of Mahamaya College ....Mrs.
Indra Withanachchi was mindful of the tremendous performances of Akshana
that put Mahamaya College in the forefront of athletics and requested
the others to take her as an example and do their best when they are
competing in the meets. Akshana Maralande seemed thrilled with her
performances at various meets and said that it was determination to put
the school in front that brought her the success. She thanked the
principal, teachers and coaches who gave her all the encouragement to go
ahead in her career.
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