Rumesh Tharanga Pathiraj stunned the javelin throw world with a throw of 92.62m at the Rome Diamond League on Thursday and announced a new order in the sport. The 23-year-old Sri Lankan became the fourth Asian to cross the magic mark of 90m in men’s javelin throw, joining Chinese Taipei’s Cheng Chao-tsun (91.36m), Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem (92.97m) and India’s Neeraj Chopra (90.23m) in rare company.

His throw is the 21st best in the history of the event – the list is topped by Jan Zelezny, once Neeraj’s coach, who threw 98.48m in 1996.

Where Rumesh’s 92.62M throw stands

• A new Sri Lankan national record
• World-leading throw in men’s javelin throw 2026
• Rome Diamond League meet record
• Second best throw by an Asian in history
• 21st best throw in men’s javelin throw history

Rumesh reached Rome quickly. He had set a world-leading mark of 89.37 meters in Diyagama in March, and came very close to the 90 meters barrier at the Champions Track and Field event at the same venue. In Rome, against a strong ten-member field lacking both Arshad and Neeraj, he set the meet record in his second attempt. Four fouls followed, but none of the other nine throwers could reach 85 metres. Former world champion Anderson Peters finished second with 83.89 metres. India’s Sachin Yadav, who finished fourth at the World Championships in Tokyo last year, had a tough Diamond League debut as he cleared 79.18m, well short of his personal best of 86.27m.

Who is Rumesh Pathiraj?

Throwing was probably in his blood, but like most Sri Lankan teenagers, Rumesh first fell in love with cricket. At under-18 level, he was already bowling at 134 kilometers per hour – light, raw and competitive.

In a nationwide fast bowling talent hunt, which once identified future Sri Lankan international Ehsan Malinga, Rumesh finished second fastest in his category. In his only competitive appearance for St. Peter’s College, Colombo, he took five wickets and scored a half-century in the same match.

He chose a different runway. “There is political involvement in cricket, there is tough competition,” he said. “Cricket is a team sport. It takes more than just talent to make the national team. But in javelin throw, if I have the talent, I will be recognised.”

He started throwing in 2017 under the guidance of his father, who is a discus and shot-put athlete. His first javelin throw was 30 meters. Within two months, he was at 63 metres.

The climb has been steady and purposeful. He threw 85.45 meters at the 2024 Asian Throwing Championships in Mokpo. In early 2025, he finished third at the Neeraj Chopra Classic in Bengaluru with 84.34m – standing on the same podium as his childhood idol, former Olympic champion Thomas Rahler. A month later, he threw 86.50m in Bhubaneswar to break the Sri Lankan national record and qualify directly for the World Championships in Tokyo, where he finished sixth with 84.38m, above the injured Neeraj.

Neeraj has been more than a rival. It was this man who invited Rumesh to Bengaluru, inspired him to throw himself forward, and – seeing the young man hesitating in front of the camera – offered cool advice: “Speak in English as much as you can. I learned it that way. You will be on many more forums, so speak without fear.”

That prophecy is quite old. Rumesh flew the javelin and rewrote Asian history in Rome on Thursday.

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