Indian javelin ace Neeraj Chopra produced his greatest efficiency in additional than a yr however was pipped to the publish by the rising Sri Lankan star Rumesh Pathirage for the highest spot by a mere 9 centimetres within the Lausanne Diamond League meet in Lausanne on Friday (August 21, 2026).
The 28-year-old Chopra’s 88.05m throw within the second spherical, which fetched him the second spot within the nine-man star-studded discipline, was his greatest after the 88.16m he recorded whereas profitable the Paris Diamond League in June 2025. It was additionally his season’s greatest throw.
Nevertheless, the 23-year-old Pathirage continued his juggernaut this season as he overtook Chopra along with his third-round throw of 88.14m.
Grenada’s Anderson Peters was third along with his sixth and last spherical effort of 86.69m.
Reigning world champion Keshorn Walcott of Trinidad and Tobago was fourth with a greatest throw of 83.71m.
World Championships bronze winner Curtis Thompson of the USA was sixth with a below-par 78.13m, whereas Tokyo Olympics silver winner Jakub Vadlejch of the Czech Republic took the seventh spot with 77.32m.
Chopra later stated it was a detailed tussle between him and Pathirage for the highest spot.
“I didn’t realise it was solely 9 centimetres, it was actually shut, however I’m proud of the 88-metre throw. To be trustworthy, it didn’t really feel prefer it went 88m as a result of I felt very relaxed. I attempted actually onerous and later targeted on my approach,” he stated.
“With each competitors, I really feel that I’m coming again. The crowds in Lausanne and Zurich perceive athletics and actually help you, so it’s all the time good to compete right here.” Along with his second-place end, Chopra additionally jumped to high 5 within the season-ending Diamond League Finals standings from his earlier seventh spot.
For jumps and throws, the highest six within the standings will compete within the September 4-5 DL Finals in Brussels. One further athlete per self-discipline might also compete by way of a nationwide or international wildcard choice.
Pathirage and Peters have already certified for the DL Finals after accumulating 23 and 22 factors, respectively. There’s one other DL meet which has a males’s javelin throw occasion in it — in Zurich on August 27.
Chopra had gained the DL Finals title in 2022 and completed second in 2023, 2024 and 2025.
The showdown between the 2 South Asian rivals lived as much as the expectations, as Chopra despatched his spear to 88.05m in his second try to overtake Pathirage and occupy the highest spot briefly. The Sri Lanka responded quickly after along with his 88.14m effort within the third third to retake the spot.
This was the third time in a row that the 23-year-old Pathirage had crushed two-time Olympic medallist Chopra this yr. He had earlier crushed the Indian famous person within the Doha Diamond League after which within the latest Glasgow Commonwealth Video games. Pathirage had gained in each the occasions, whereas Chopra had completed fourth and second, respectively.
Chopra started with 83.54m earlier than developing with a giant throw of 88.05m. It was his season’s greatest after his 85.83m whereas profitable silver within the Glasgow Commonwealth Video games. His third try measured 83.72m earlier than recording a ‘No Mark’ within the fourth spherical.
Chopra then skipped the fifth spherical earlier than developing with 82.15m in his sixth and last try.
The explanation for skipping the fifth throw may very well be that he needed to maintain himself protected and never exert a lot with the Asian Video games developing subsequent month.
Crossing the 88m mark, nonetheless, would have given Chopra some confidence going forward within the season after getting back from an harm. He responded to Pathirage’s throw of 87.06m to take the highest spot after the second spherical, although the Sri Lankan got here again within the third spherical to claim his supremacy.
The budding rivalry between the 2 South Asians was in full present after Pathirage clinched the gold and Chopra completed with a silver within the Glasgow Commonwealth Video games.
Pathirage has been within the type of his life this season, having additionally gained the Doha and Rome Diamond League conferences, moreover clinching gold in Glasgow with a throw of 89.75m. He additionally breached the coveted 90m mark with a season-leading throw of 92.62m in Rome in June.
Actually, the Sri Lankan has gained eight of the 9 competitions he has participated in to this point within the season.
Chopra, alternatively, is on a comeback path after recovering from a decrease again harm that has troubled him since September final yr.
The harm delayed his return till the Diamond League in Doha. He was not 100 per cent slot in Glasgow however was capable of win a silver with a season’s greatest throw of 85.83m.
“I can’t say my health is there like earlier than. However I’m getting there slowly,” Chopra had stated on the Glasgow Commonwealth Video games.
One of the vital constant javelin throwers ever, two-time Olympic medallist Chopra has completed outdoors the highest two in simply two competitions within the final 5 years.
The Lausanne Diamond League was to see probably the most high-profile competitors in latest reminiscence however it has misplaced some shine with the pulling out of the reigning world champion Arshad Nadeem and newly-crowned European champion Julian Weber of Germany.
Printed – August 22, 2026 02:06 am IST
