The winners of the All Island Schools Athletic Meet 2018 high jump for girls under 14 posed for a photograph just after the event and the winner Kethmini Kumari standing second from left in the picture. (Dilwin Mendis – Moatuwa Sports Special Correspondent)
Fifteen year old up and coming athlete, under ten Divisional and Zonal Champion, All Island under 12 winner in High Jump, under 14 All Island Colours holder for equaling the High Jump record by clearing 1.53 meters Herath Mudiyanselage Kethmini Kumari has brought honour and immense golory for her alma mater Ibbaganuwa Central College with her deeds in the field of athletics.
Kethmini was born on 16th June 2006 and her first school was Kiriwatte Junior School Rideegama Kurunegala and admitted to this school in 2012 when Mr. Meehella was at the helm of the school and her first class teacher was Mrs. Somalatha. During this period there was no Inter House Sports Meets at this school and when she was in grade five she participated for the Divisional Educational Meet and she swept the board in 100 meters Long Jump and in High Jump and was adjudged as the under ten champion and in the Zonal Educational Meet she repeated the same performances and became the Zonal Champion too and in the Provincial Educational Meet she came up to Best Eight and received a Merit Certificate.
Same year she was admitted to Maha Vidyalaya Gonigoda Rideegema Kurunegala and in the Divisional Meet she won the 100 meters and High Jump events in the under 12 age group and her Parents Nissanka Herath a Teacher of Nugawala Central College and Ranjika Herath made arrangements to admit their daughter to Central College Ibbagamuwa to enhance her skills in athletics and she immediately came under the Athletic Coach Mrs.Shanthi and in the same year participating in the under 12 age category at the Zonal Meet she came first and in the Provincial Meet she came second. She participated for the All Island Schools in the under 12 age group and she won the High Jump Event and her coach was Mr.Asanka.
Then in 2018 taking part n the under 14 age category she won the High Jump event with ease at the Divisional, Zonal and Provincial but in the All Island she could not come up to expectations and Mr.Dissanayake was the coach and in the following year she came under the coach Mr.Sumedha and in the under 14 she won the Divisional, Zonal and at the Provincial she came third and at the All Island she came first in High Jump and cleared 1.53 metres and equalled the record and received Colours too.
In 2020 owing to Covid 19 the school could hold the sports meet and she came first in the High Jump and Hurdles and in the 100 metres she came second and she was adjudged as the school under 16 Champion.
by Daily News Sri Lanka
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