- Ace athlete eyes Glasgow success
As per the latest rankings of international athletes released by World Athletics (WA), Sri Lanka’s javelin sensation Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage needs only a solitary point more to scale the summit of global athletics.
Tharanga has shaken the global athletics firmament in no uncertain terms through the sheer volume of spectacular throws in his chosen discipline during the past three-month period.
He now finds himself in 67th position out of 25,000 athletes who have excelled in various track-and-field events according to the latest data collated by the sport’s Monaco-based world controlling body which was formally called the International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF).
Out of the top 67 athletes ranked in the global leaderboard, the only athlete who is placed higher than Tharanga from Asia is Japanese marathoner Toshikazu Yamanishi.
In the latest javelin world rankings released by WA, the former St. Peter’s College star, who has gained 1,347 points, trails his German counterpart Julian Weber by only a solitary point.
As per WA regulations, Tharanga, despite having the furthest throw this year with 92.62 m, is still behind Weber due to the German’s lead on points due largely to his consistency and competition weighting.
However, athletics analysts are of the view that if Tharanga could clinch Gold at the Commonwealth Games, that will invariably catapult him to the number one ranking as his tally will allow him to overtake Weber.
The Sri Lankan javelin wizard trained by Tony Prasanna will next be in action at the Commonwealth Games due to commence in Glasgow, Scotland on 23 July and now finds himself within touching distance of reaching the zenith of his sport.
Tharanga’s breakthrough season has already seen him achieve unprecedented success for a Sri Lanka athlete, not witnessed since the halcyon days of former sprint queen Susanthika Jayasinghe, and a few other sprinters of the ilk of Damayanthi Darsha and Sugath Thilakaratne.
At the 2026 Rome Diamond League, Tharanga recorded a throw of 92.62 m, setting a new Sri Lankan record, and in the process produced the world’s leading javelin throw of the season.
The remarkable achievement also placed him among the sport’s all-time greats, being ranked eighth in history at the time.
His trail-blazing run continued with another spectacular triumph at the Ostrava Golden Spike athletics meet in the Czech Republic, where he secured first place with a throw of 86.57 m, when pitted against a strong international field.
Among those who competed alongside the Sri Lankan superstar were Anderson Peters of Grenada, Keshorn Walcott of Trinidad and Tobago, and Curtis Thompson of the US.
He further strengthened his credentials with another customary stunning performance at the Diamond League meet in Doha, Qatar – which was his last outing paving the way for his current rise to number two in the global rankings.
Among those who were upstaged by Tharanga during the Doha meet were world champion Peters of Grenada and Olympic Gold medallist Neeraj Chopra of India.
It is said that his terrific run during the twin Diamond League series in Rome and Qatar, respectively, has enabled Tharanga to close the gap on points with number-one-ranked Weber of Germany.
The Sri Lankan javelin ace has so far won seven Gold medals since February this year and now finds himself in pole position to reach the top of his sport with him being the cynosure of all eyes at the forthcoming Commonwealth Games in the UK.