Sri Lankan javelin thrower Rumesh Tharanga continued his golden streak by clinching the Gold Medal at the Asian Throwing Championship held today in Mokpo, South Korea.
The 22-year-old threw 82.05m, becoming the only athlete to surpass the 80m mark at the meet. A former Peterite, Tharanga trains under Tony Prasanna and has been in sublime form this season. Earlier this month, he shattered the national record with a throw of 86.50m in India, securing direct qualification for the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo next month.
Tharanga narrowly missed out on the Paris Olympics, despite recording the seventh-best throw globally in 2024. He fell short of the direct qualification mark and lacked sufficient competition exposure to qualify via world rankings. Determined not to repeat that disappointment, he maintained a strong global ranking this year and eventually cleared the direct qualification standard of 85.50m.
His consistency is unmatched—nine throws over 82m this season, including three over 84m, highlighting his elite form heading into Tokyo.
Meanwhile, Olympian Dilhani Lekamge secured the Silver Medal in the women’s javelin throw with a best of 57.53m. Ranked 46th in the Road to Tokyo standings, she must break into the top 36 to qualify for the World Championships, making every competition count.