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India Today
a day ago
- Sport
- India Today
Cricket's loss, javelin's gain: Sri Lanka's Rumesh Tharanga, the new kid on the block
Throwing might have been in his blood, but like most Sri Lankan teenagers, Rumesh Pathirage first fell in love with cricket. At under-18 level, he was already hurling the ball at 134 kilometres per hour, a lithe figure with raw pace and a competitive edge. In his only competitive outing for St Peter's College, Colombo, he delivered a performance that still draws smiles from those who saw it: four overs, five wickets, and a half-century with the bat. The kind of match that might have been the launchpad to a professional cricket is tempting to imagine him now in the bright colours of an Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise. But the young man from Kalutara, a small coastal town just south of Colombo, chose a different flight path. Instead of the seam and swing of a cricket ball, he embraced the whip-crack rhythm of the javelin runway. Today, at 22, his name is beginning to echo in stadiums far from July, at the Neeraj Chopra Classic in Bengaluru, Rumesh stood on the podium alongside Olympic medallists Neeraj Chopra and Julius Yego, finishing ahead of his boyhood idol, former Olympic champion Thomas Rohler. Neeraj has already played a pivotal role in Rumesh's rise. It was the two-time Olympic medallist who extended the invitation to Bengaluru and urged him to push his limits. After the podium ceremony came a quieter lesson: noticing Rumesh hesitating before the media, unsure of his English, Neeraj leaned in with a nudge: 'Speak as much as you can in English. I learnt it this way. You'll be at many more podiums, so speak without fear.'On Sunday, August 10, in Bhubaneswar, buoyed by the confidence of his breakthrough in Bengaluru, Rumesh delivered the defining moment of his career: an 86.50m throw that shattered the Sri Lankan national record and secured direct qualification for the World Championships in 134 kph to 86.50mRumesh's journey began with the throws. 'In 2017, I started training in javelin. My father was a discus and shot-put thrower. He guided me. He got me into discus throwing,' Rumesh tells broke most of my school records. In 2017, I won the first school meet in discus. I then got the opportunity to come to the central school in Colombo, the St Peter's College.'It was at St Peter's that javelin entered the picture. 'After I came to St Peter's College, I started javelin throwing. My first throw was around the 30m mark. After only two months of training, I increased my throw to 63m. After 2017, I have increased my personal best gradually.'Even then, cricket still lingered as an option. 'I started playing cricket in 2012, like any other Sri Lankan kid. In 2017, I was among the fastest in the U18 competition. I marked 134 kph,' he a nationwide fast-bowling talent hunt for under-18 players — the same programme that had once identified future Sri Lankan international and SunRisers Hyderabad bowler Ehsan Malinga — Rumesh finished as the second-fastest bowler in his javelin offered something cricket could not. 'In cricket, there is political involvement, there is intense competition. So, I moved away from cricket. I loved javelin more. I was the second-fastest bowler in my category. But I wouldn't have had a chance to make it as a fast bowler. Cricket is a team sport. It takes a lot more than just talent to make it to the national team. But, in javelin, if I have talent, I will be recognised.'When he began in earnest, Sri Lanka had only a handful of 80-metre throwers. 'Before I started, there were about three javelin throwers who threw 80-plus. One of them, Sumedha Ranasinghe, is also a direct entry for the World Championships this year. I look up to him even now.'When Neeraj made a dream come trueHis greatest inspiration, though, came from further afield. 'My biggest inspiration has been Thomas Rhler. I have been following all his Instagram posts. I have followed his tips and techniques. Thomas has been my main source of inspiration from my school days till now.'advertisementMeeting Rhler had seemed impossible — until Bengaluru. 'It was an interesting tournament in India. I didn't believe when growing up that I would be able to compete with someone like Thomas Rhler. I have followed Thomas Rhler since 2017. But I thought I wouldn't get a chance to meet my idol. But, Neeraj Chopra Classic gave me an opportunity.'That invitation came while he was in Australia for the Perth Classic, having just thrown 85.41m. Neeraj Chopra's manager, Lucas, called with a place in the Bengaluru first night wasn't easy. His opening throw measured only 71m. 'When I crossed the 80m, Neeraj came to me and said, 'You can do better than this'. Neeraj has always motivated me to do better, bigger things.' Rumesh revealed that Neeraj has always motivated him (Credit: PTI) The crowd roared for Neeraj, but their warmth extended to every competitor. For Rumesh, it felt like competing at home. He had spent the previous month mentally rehearsing for the event, visualising a breakthrough performance on such a grand South Asian stage. A podium finish had never crossed his mind, but when no one breached the 80m mark after the first round, he sensed an opening. The wind was tricky, but the challenge only fuelled him a 22-year-old who hadn't seen much of the world, Bengaluru became the stage to prove his adaptability. He showed composure beyond his years, adjusting to the conditions and securing a podium alongside Neeraj and Julius confidence he carried from Bengaluru was on full display in Odisha on Sunday. With no big names in the field, Rumesh turned the contest into a battle with himself — and won it in on the goTravel has been as much a teacher as competition. A visa delay meant he missed the Brisbane Track Classic, arriving a week late, but that detour opened the door to Perth. Within two weeks, he had trained with Olympic champion Kelsey-Lee Barber and her coach, Mike Barber, before returning to Sri home, he wears the colours of the Sri Lankan Air Force, which provides vital financial support. But for athletes outside cricket, the reality is are helping me with financial support. But, in Sri Lanka, except cricket, there is no real space to fund other sports. It's very hard being a javelin thrower in Sri Lanka. In Sri Lanka, if you look at it, there are not many professional athletes. There are a lot of grassroots athletes who do well in track events. But after the age of 20, we have few. That's the main problem — the progression. The athletics federation hasn't been able to support us much. The financial problem is real in Sri Lankan athletics.'All-Asian Olympic podium?A top-eight finish at the Worlds is Rumesh's immediate target. The long-term one? To end Sri Lanka's two-decade wait for an Olympic medal — a goal he carries not only for himself, but for a nation hungry for sporting decades, men's javelin was the preserve of Europeans, with Olympic podiums dominated by Germany, Finland, and the Czech Republic. But the balance shifted in Paris, where Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem threw an Olympic-record 92.97m to take gold and India's Neeraj Chopra claimed silver. It was the first time in history that two Asian throwers occupied the top two steps of the Olympic podium — a seismic change in the sport's global order. Rumesh is aiming to end Sri Lanka's wait for an Olympic medal (Courtesy: AFP) Rumesh has been watching that transformation closely. He is a self-confessed admirer of Neeraj's ability to maintain elite standards over time — something he is beginning to emulate. This season alone, he has landed more than ten throws beyond the 80m mark, underlining his own growing reliability.'I haven't had a lot of opportunities to interact with Arshad Nadeem,' he says. 'But, from whenever I have spoken to him, I got a feeling he is a humble man. But, Neeraj Chopra is very close to me. He always gives me advises. I believe Neeraj is the best in the region. He has had five years of consistent performances. His technique is unbelievable. I can't compare myself with him, but I believe I have a solid technique like Neeraj.'Neeraj and Arshad have already put the region on the global javelin map. And in his mind, the future could be even more seismic. 'I believe it can happen (all-Asian podium in the Olympics). Let's hope for the best.'- Ends
India Today
2 days ago
- Sport
- India Today
Annu Rani, Animesh Kujur steal the show in electrifying Indian Continental Tour
An electrifying Kalinga Stadium brought the 1st Indian Continental Tour to life on Sunday, August 10. Such was the decibel meter in Bhubaneshwar that the start of the men's 100m sprint, the crown jewel of any athletics event, had to be reset thrice. Every time the sprinters were ready to explode out of the blocks, they were pulled back into their markers by unmissable cheers from the turned up in good numbers despite the sweltering afternoon heat, which made life difficult not only for the athletes but for the spectators as well. Indian athletes set the tone from the very start of the event, keeping the audience on their feet. The crowd, composed mostly of school and college students from more than 10 institutions in the city, had a gala time in the first-of-its-kind event in the competition started in hot conditions at 4 PM IST. Vishal TK, India's 400m specialist, won the gold medal in style, hitting 45.72 seconds, not far from his all-time best of 45.57, which came in Korea earlier this year. Once Vishal set the tone, Annu Rani took over the scene. Fresh off her sensational performance in Poland, where she registered her first 60+ metre throw in over a year (62.59m), Annu led the field within her first three attempts, hitting a strong throw in Bhubaneshwar will do a world of good to the 32-year-old, who has seen a form slump over the past year. While Annu lit up the women's javelin, her counterparts in the men's event failed to starboy Sachin Yadav, one of the favourites to win the men's event, was stunned by Sri Lanka's Rumesh Pathirage, who secured direct qualification for the World Championships in Tokyo. Rumesh, who had bagged a bronze medal at the Neeraj Chopra Classic last month, improved his performance by over two metres to clinch the gold. His 86.50-metre throw left the Indian contingent far behind. Maharashtra's Shivam Lokhare, just 20 years old, finished second with a distance of 80.73m. Courtesy: Kingshuk Kusari While javelin was expected to be the star of the show, the loudest cheers came in the final hour of the event, when hometown favourite Animesh Kujur lined up for the men's 200m who had hoped to clock close to his personal best, put in a blistering run of 20.77 seconds to win gold with relative ease. After the race, he stayed back to entertain the crowd with a trademark Usain Bolt celebration — a fitting tribute to the man he earlier had voluntarily DNFed himself from the 100m competition, as he did not finish the heats on Sunday morning. While an explanation was not given behind the move it was perhaps the fact that he did not want to run four times in the humid conditions of Bhubaneshwar after a long and tiring athlete will be running in one more competition in Indian this season (Inter State tournament), and after that, head straight into the World Championships in Tokyo. Courtesy: Kingshuk Kusari As curtains fall on the 1st Indian Continental Tour, the organisers will be pleased with the level of efficiency and enthusiasm they managed to generate. If India hopes to host a World Athletics Championship or even the Olympics one day, events like these are just the beginning. The next step will be to not only repeat them, but to raise the bar with each edition.- Ends
India Today
2 days ago
- Sport
- India Today
Rumesh Pathirage stuns Sachin Yadav to secure World Championship qualification
Sri Lanka's Rumesh Pathirage stunned home favourite Sachin Yadav to secure direct qualification for the World Championships on Sunday, August 10. It was one and done for young Pathirage, who set the standard with his very first throw of the event, landing a massive throw of throw not only fetched him direct qualification into the World Athletics Championships this year, but also had the field reeling. The Indian trio of Sachin Yadav, Yashvir Singh and Rohit Yadav, expected to perform well in the event, simply failed to catch up on the was the second time that Rumesh performed in front of an Indian crowd. In July, he participated in the Neeraj Chopra Classic, where he bagged the bronze medal. He had sneaked into third place, going past Sachin Yadav, who finished in fourth place. Sachin, who is seen as the next big thing in Indian javelin after Neeraj Chopra, struggled from the very start in Bhubaneshwar's humid conditions. In the pre-event press conference, Sachin had revealed that he had suffered an ankle injury at the Neeraj Chopra Classic, which might have taken its toll Tour: Men's Javelin StandingsRumesh Pathirage: 86.50mShivam Lokhare: 80.73mS Ranasinghe: 80.65mRohit Yadav: 80.35mSachin Yadav: 79.80mYashvir Singh: 78.53mThe failure in the men's javelin was a bummer for the crowd as this event was expected to be the crowd-puller. While the men's failed to secure the top spot in javelin, India's Annu Rani, showed signs of returning to sensational form on Sunday. Annu, freshly back from her top show in Poland, showed that her first 60+m throw was not a fluke, by putting in yet another stunning throw at the Kalinga Stadium. Annu's 62+m throw saw her win gold in the event, helping her add valuable ranking points ahead of the World Championships in Tokyo.- Ends
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Animesh, Sreeshankar, Sachin in focus at Continental Tour meet
A major aspect of staging international sports events is about home country athletes delivering success, or being in medal contention. Only weeks earlier, a great example was provided by the Neeraj Chopra Classic. The host who gave his name to the well-attended meet also proved the hottest, his victory proving the icing on the cake. Indian long jumper Murali Sreeshankar, who will be seen in action at the World Athletics Continental Tour-Bronze level meet in Bhubaneswar on Sunday. (IIS Media) Elite Indian athletes are no longer left searching for overseas exposure, although India still awaits a genuine star who can rise to compete on the world stage. After almost 15,000 fans turned up at Bengaluru's Sree Kanteerava Stadium to watch Chopra win the inaugural NC Classic on July 5, a more modest start will be made on Sunday when the Odisha capital's Kalinga Stadium stages the one-day World Athletics Continental Tour Bronze meet. Bhubaneswar, a hockey city that hosted the Asian Athletics Championships in 2017, will hope to draw in the crowds and provide the stage for some impressive performances. It can both draw public engagement in track and field and also use the meet as a starting point for India getting to host bigger events. Around 160 athletes from 17 countries are expected with 17 events scheduled for men and women. The meet is a chance for Indian athletes to collect vital ranking points as they bid to qualify for next month's World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. Sachin Yadav, seen as the next javelin hope, will be one who will look to qualify on entry standard (85.50m), having narrowly missed the mark — he threw 85.16m to come second in the Asian Championships in May. The qualification deadline is August 24. While jumps and throws have been India's focus for a few years now, sprints and relays are also garnering attention thanks to a group of talented athletes. Animesh Kujur, Gurindervir Singh, Amlan Borgohain and Manikanta Hoblidhar hold out the hope for Indian sprint to take the next step forward. Competition among them has led to the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay records being rewritten this year. Leading the pack is Kujur, 22, the national record holder in both the sprints (10.18 secs and 20.32 secs). The Odisha athlete's ambition is to run 100m under 10 seconds and clock the 200m, his favourite event, under 20 seconds. 'It will happen when it has to. It might happen tomorrow, it might happen in 10 years, but an Indian will definitely get there,' Martin Owens, head coach at Reliance High Performance Centre, told HT after Kujur clocked 10.18 in Greece last month. Kujur was also part of the quartet that set the 4x100m relay record in April. Competing on home turf — he trains at Odisha High Performance Centre while most other sprinters are Mumbai based — he will be the biggest draw. Kujur is expected to only run the 200m, where he'll be challenged by Borgohain (SB 20.80), another consistent performer. South Korea's Ko Seung-hwan — his season's best is 20.45secs — is the second fastest in the field. There will be no Chopra, but men's javelin is expected to feature a few 80-plus throwers. Yadav is keen to establish himself as a firm India No.2. The 6' 5' thrower showed his potential at the Asian meet in Gumi and a home meet can be ideal to excel. Kishore Jena is not entered, and he as well as Rohit Yadav and Manu DP have fallen away owing to a variety of reasons. At the 2023 Budapest Worlds, India fielded three throwers — Chopra, Manu and Rohit — and it says something about India's athlete management that barring Chopra, there is a lack of consistency. Yadav, who sees himself as a steady 85m thrower, will be challenged by Yashvir Singh (PB 82.57m) and Shivam Lohakare (PB 80.95m), the latest entrant to the 80m club. Sri Lanka's Sumedha Jagath Mudiyanselage and Rumesh Pathirage, both with 85m-plus throws, will be expected to be strong contenders. Long jump too will be in focus with Murali Sreeshankar building up on his injury comeback. Having missed more than a year following knee surgery, he cleared 8.05m in his first competition on comeback at the Indian Open in Pune last month. On August 3, he won the Qosanov Memorial in Almaty with a leap of 7.94m. His National Record is 8.41m, achieved in 2023. The younger Jeswin Aldrin though is struggling — he is listed but there are doubts over his participation on Sunday.
News18
3 days ago
- Sport
- News18
Neeraj Chopra Withdraws From Silesia Diamond League, Classic Clash With Arshad Nadeem Cancelled
Last Updated: Neeraj Chopra and Arshad Nadeem have withdrawn from Silesia Diamond League, disappointing fans hoping for an India-Pakistan face-off. In what has come as a major disappointment to athletics enthusiasts, double Olympic medallist Neeraj Chopra and Paris Olympics gold medallist Arshad Nadeem have both withdrawn from the upcoming Silesia Diamond League, thus dashing all hopes of an India-Pakistan face-off. Nadeem is missing the tournament after undergoing surgery on his right calf in July, with his coach confirming he has been ruled out. However, the reason for Neeraj's withdrawal remains unclear. The tournament was scheduled for Saturday, August 16, in Silesia, Poland. Nadeem claimed the Olympic gold with a huge throw of 92.97m, edging out Neeraj, who recorded a best of 89.45m to settle for silver. Neeraj kicked off the 2025 season well, starting with a win at the Potch Invitational in Potchefstroom, South Africa, in April. Neeraj then made history at the Doha Diamond League by finishing second and recording his first-ever throw beyond 90 meters, reaching 90.23m. Most recently, Neeraj claimed a win at the inaugural Neeraj Chopra Classic, held at Sri Kanteerava Outdoor Stadium in Bengaluru, a competition named in his honour. Nadeem was slated to compete at the Neeraj Chopra Classic in Bengaluru in July, but because of border tensions between India and Pakistan in May, he wasn't extended an invitation. Neeraj and Arshad are now gearing up for the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, all set to take place from September 13 to 21. Neeraj is the current javelin World Champion, having bagged the title in 2023 with a throw of 88.17m. Neeraj might feature at the Brussels Diamond League on August 22 as well. Meanwhile, after his historic Paris Olympics win, Nadeem expressed deep frustration over promises made by the Pakistan government that remain unfulfilled. Despite being the first Pakistani athlete to win a gold medal in track and field, Nadeem revealed that he has yet to receive key promised rewards, including land plots announced after his win. view comments First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
