Sri Lankan youth relay team in action – Saudi Arabia, 2025
Sri Lanka wrapped up its campaign at the Asian Youth Athletics Championships (U-18) in Qatif, Saudi Arabia, with a historic medal tally and a national record in the women’s mixed relay, securing 9th place overall out of 19 participating nations.
The standout performance came in the women’s mixed relay, where the Sri Lankan team clinched the silver medal with a time of 2:14.25 minutes—setting a new Sri Lankan youth record in the process. China dominated the race, winning gold with a time of 2:11.11, while Thailand secured bronze in 2:15.00.
Organized by the Asian Athletics Federation, the four-day meet concluded on April 18 in the eastern Saudi city of Qatif, bringing together the region’s top under-18 athletes in a fierce competition of speed, strength, and endurance.
This year’s performance marks Sri Lanka’s best-ever showing at an Asian Under-18 Championship, with the national team earning a total of eight medals: 1 gold, 3 silver, and 4 bronze. It’s a significant improvement over last year’s performance in 2023, where the team returned with just four medals—2 silver and 2 bronze.
China topped the medal table with an extraordinary haul of 19 golds, 12 silvers, and 5 bronzes. Japan secured second place with 3 golds, 3 silvers, and 1 bronze, while host nation Saudi Arabia finished third with 3 golds, 1 silver, and 2 bronze medals.
![Image: Medal standings board showing China, Japan, Saudi Arabia, and Sri Lanka among top finishers – 2025]
The record-breaking performance has generated excitement among Sri Lanka’s athletics community, as it showcases the country’s growing youth talent and potential to climb higher in future Asian and global athletics competitions.
