Rumesh Pathirage continues to send his tiny island nation into raptures, capping a stunning breakthrough season by winning the men’s javelin at the World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest. Delivering 90-metre-plus throws at will, the dominant Sri Lankan has enjoyed a phenomenal year, winning 11 of his 12 competitions, highlighted by a world-leading 92.62m in Rome and a 92.07m victory in Zurich, before sealing the Diamond League title.
The pre-competition favourite experienced an inauspicious start in Budapest, opening with a modest 75.89m while European champion Julian Weber seized the early initiative with an 84.09m throw.
Germany’s lead proved short-lived as two-time world champion Anderson Peters of Grenada launched the spear out to 86.18m in the second round. Weber responded with 85.89m to stay in second, while Pathirage flickered into life with an 85.69m effort.
The Sri Lankan star seized control in the third round, launching his spear to 87.11m to claim the lead. Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem managed a season’s best of 81.49m in the same round, but it left him in fifth place and eliminated him before the fourth and final round.
Pathirage opened the final round with a thunderous 91.09m throw, marking the first 90-metre throw ever achieved on Hungarian soil. When Peters closed his series with 82.63m and Weber managed 78.75m, Pathirage’s victory was officially sealed.
“This was my one and only goal – to bring the trophy back to Sri Lanka,” Pathirage said. “I faced a lot of challenges today but I was still hoping to win and I’m proud I did it. I was never thinking about the prize money and I don’t have any idea yet how I will spend it. Sri Lankan athletes have won two Olympic medals so far and my next goal is to bring the Olympic gold medal home.”
With this latest triumph safely secured, Pathirage now turns his sights toward the upcoming Asian Games, with all signs firmly pointing toward total global domination as he builds relentlessly toward the 2027 season.