D M E D K Fernando of Sri Lanka Army emerged the best athlete and was awarded the N Vyrawananthan Memorial Challenge Cup in the 90th National Athletics Championships concluded at the Sugathadasa Stadium yesterday.

Fernando's performance in the men's triple jump where he leapt 16.37 metres and established a new Sri Lankan record on the second day of the meet also brought him the Wilton Bartleet Challenge Cup for the best male athlete.

N M Champika Dilrukshi of Sri Lanka Army and Airwoman Eranga Dulakshi were adjudged the best athletes in the female category. On the first day, Eranga clocked 10:11.72 minutes to set up a new Sri Lanka record in women's 3000 metres steeple chase . Dilrukshi was awarded for her performance in the women's 800 metres where she set up a new meet record by finishing the event in 2:04.97 minutes also on the second day.

The three day event concluded with two new Sri Lankan records, five new meet records,one equalizer which were set up by athletes from the Tri Forces except for one record set up by Priyangika Madumanthi of Kurunegala District AA in the women's high jump.

Three women athletes also recorded better timing than the previous record in the women's 800 metres and 1500 metres.

Yesterday in the women's pole vault, R A A Karunawansa of Sri Lanka Navy equalized the previous record of Airwoman K A K L Perera, a height of 3.20 metres which she established last year.

D A S Samanmali of Sri Lanka Air Force who clocked 4:21.97 minutes in the women's 1500 metres set up the only new meet record on the final day. She erased the last year record of another Airwoman, W K L A Nimali's timing of 4:26.25 minutes . G T A Abeyratna of Sri Lanka Navy who finished second also bettered last the timing of Nimali.

W K D S Perera of Sri Lanka Air Force won the gold medal in the decathlon by securing 5885 points while R D Gunasinghe of Sri Lanka Army won the silver with 5718 points. Airman D C Wickramaratne win the bronze with 5571 points.

In the heptathlon, B A S Ayesha of Sri Lanka police collected 3731 points to win the gold. K M K N A Fernando of Sri Lanka Air Force secured the silver with 3662 points while her team mate P S M De Zoysa won the bronze with 3392 points.

Results of the final day

Men's events

20 Km race walk

1. T G S N Appuhami ( SLAF- 1:39:28.40 hrs), 2. S K A C Fernando ( SLArmy - 1:42:05.75 hrs), 3. M D Sampath ( SLNavy- 1:50:52.46 hrs )

Javelin Throw

1. R P V L Dayarathna ( SL Army - 73.27 metres), 2. R M S J Ranasinghe ( SLAF- 68.13 metres ), 3. D S Ranasinghe ( SL Army - 68.09 metres)

1500 metres

1. P H Chamal ( SL Army - 3:52.02 minutes ), 2. M K G A Nissanka Kumara ( SL Army - 3:52.06 minutes ), 3. K P Ruwan Kumara ( SL Army - 3:54.78 minutes )

Long Jump

1. W M P Weerakkodi ( SL Army - 7.35 metres ), 2. J P S Fernando ( Lanka Lions Sports Club- 7.32 metres ), 3. R A E Sanjeewa ( S L Army - 7.25 metres )

100 metres

1. W K Himasha Eashan ( Sri Lanka Schools AA- 10.50 seconds ), 2. M S M Safran ( SL Army - 10.68 seconds ), 3. B R A Hasaranga ( SL Army - 10.77 seconds )

400 metres

1. Y M W G A M Gunaratne ( SLAF- 47.26 seconds ), 2. W A D C D Aloka ( SLAF- 47.25 seconds ), 3. K K K Senaviratne ( SL Navy - 47.56 seconds )

5000 metres

1. D L Samarajeewa ( SL Army- 14:45.61 minutes), 2. N M C C Nawasinghe ( SLAF- 15:04.52 minutes ), 3. W W K Weerasinghe ( SL Navy - 15:21.32 minutes )

Women's events

20 Km race walk

1. Geetha Nandani ( Kalutara District AA - 1:55:04.57 hrs ), 2. P B Gayani ( SL Army - 2:01:28.06 hrs ), 3. L M M S Jayaratne ( SL Army - 2:01:38.73 hrs )

Pole vault

1. R A A Karunawansa ( S L Navy - 3.20 metres -EMR), 2. R R S C Dilrukshi ( Kandy District AA - 3.10 metres, 3. K A K L Perera ( SLAF- 3.10 metres )

Hammer throw

1. A W A C Amarasinghe ( SL Army - 38.16 metres ), 2. G J A Galhena ( SL Army - 35.94 metres ), 3. G F Hassim ( SLA F - 34.39 metres )

100 metres

1. H J C C Silva ( SL Navy - 11.85 seconds ), 2. H P S Buddika ( SL AF -11.87 seconds ), 3. P D Y N Abeywickrama ( SLAF - 12.19 seconds )

1500 metres

1. D A S Samanmali ( SLAF- 4:21.97 minutes NMR ), 2. G T A Abeyratne ( SL Navy - 4:21.98 minutes BPR ), 3. N A Rajasekara ( SL Navy - 4:36.55 minutes )

400 metres

1. R M C S Rasnayake ( SLAF- 54.63 seconds ), 2. U G D Sandamali ( SLAF- 55.12 seconds ), 3. B D G Pathma Kumari ( SL Army - 55.65 seconds )