Ace javelin thrower Rumesh Tharanga created a superb record with a terrific throw of 89.37 m at the Champions Track and Field meet when he eclipsed his own previous national record of 86.50 m (subject to formal ratification) at Diyagama on Saturday (28 March).

The 22-year-old champion produced his heroic throw in his final attempt having regularly cleared the 83 m mark with four throws previously in the competition.

He kicked off with a distance of 78.89 m followed by 83.35 m, 83.68 m, 84.33 m, 84.62 m and his record-setting throw of 89.37 m, which is bound to be shortly acknowledged as the new national record in the javelin throw event.

Tharanga also surpassed his earlier mark of 83.07 m which he set in Australia in February this year, and according to athletics analysts he is fast emerging as a top-flight javelin thrower capable of matching the deeds of his competitors on the global stage.

The former St. Peter’s College star, who is fast becoming Sri Lanka’s best bet for an ever-elusive Olympic medal at the LA Olympics in 2028, ended seventh at the World Athletics Championship held in Tokyo last year.

He also upstaged both 2021 Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra (India) and 2024 Olympic winner Arshad Nadeem (Pakistan) at the Tokyo event, and the Tony Prasanna-coached athlete is now preparing for a hectic calendar this year.

He is set to compete in both the prestigious Diamond League Athletic Meets in Rome on 4 June and in Lausanne on 21 August.

He will also set his sights on the Glasgow Commonwealth Games in July, World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Hungary in September and the Asian Games in Aichi, Nagoya also in the same month.