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| Sunday, 03 August 2003 |
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Airman Chanaka Silva - overall winner of the ANCL sponsored Ports Authority cycle race by LESLIE FERNANDO The 28-year-old Chanaka Dinesh Silva, an Airman of Sri Lanka Air Force and the captain of Air Force cycling team, was the proud overall winner of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority cycle race which concluded yesterday with the completion of the second stage 125.8 km from Galle to Colombo near Jaya Terminal Gate of the Colombo Port at Hettiyawatte, Colombo 13. Chanaka completed the gruelling course of 331.14 km with a time of 8 hours 11 minutes and 39 seconds. He seemed delighted when he received the glittering SLPA Challenge Trophy, plus Rs. 50,000 and further Rs. 5,000 for winning the Galle sprint. In the first stage from Colombo-Matara-Galle, Chanaka was placed second with a time of 5.08.19 secs and in the second stage, was placed sixth 3.3.20 secs. Chanaka said that he was very happy about the performance. He has won the 2003 Dai-Ichi open race and last year won the Air Force Open Cycle race. Chanaka will also compete at the Military Games in Italy next month. Rohan Chaminda Seneviratne of Sama Cycling Club the winner of the first stage took the runners-up position in the overall events with the same timing as Chanaka. In the second stage, he finished seventh 3.3.20 secs. Third place went to W. P. Wickrematilleke of Sri Lanka Army - 8.11.47 secs. K. Sampath of Sama Cycling Club fourth 8.17.45 secs, K. A. Jayantha of Sri Lanka Army fifth 8.17.45 secs, J. Sumith Kumara of Sri Lanka Air Force sixth 8.17.45 secs, K. W. Thilanga Silva of Sri Lanka Army seventh 8.22.22 secs and A. Priyantha Silva of Sri Lanka Air Force eighth 8.22.22 secs. Seneviratne received Rs. 30,000, Wickrematilake Rs. 20,000, Sampath Rs. 10,000, Jayantha Rs. 5,000 and the other places Rs. 2000 (6th to 10th place) and Rs. 1,000 each, (11th to 15th place). The race was conducted by the Interim Committee for Cycling in Sri Lanka and organised by the Sri Lanka Ports Authority to commemorate their 24th anniversary and was sponsored by Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd. Second stage started in front of Galle Port yesterday with 48 cyclists in the fray. At Bambalapitiya junction the riders were blocked due to heavy traffic jam that was associated with a Hindu Kovil festival and the riders took wrong directions. However, Yasarathne Perera of Sri Lanka Army came in first 3 hours 2 minutes and 38.0 secs, followed by I. Rodrigo of Sama CC 3.2.38 secs, second, A. R. S. P. Pulle Sri Lanka Navy third 3.2.57 secs, D. Shanthalal of Sama CC 3.3.57 secs fourth N. A. K. Rankettegedera of Two Wheel Cycling 3.3.17 secs. The second stage winners were decided by the Jury of Interim Committee for Cycling, taking into account of Union Cycling International rules and the circumstances. The judgement was given on that basis. Rauff Hakeem, Minister of Ports and Muslim Religious Affairs and Johnston Fernando Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports were the chief guests at the awards ceremony. Parakrama Dissanayake, Chairman Sri Lanka Ports Authority also graced the occasion. |
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