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Rain denied Rumesh Pathirage a shot at the Asian and Games records, but the Sri Lankan still made history by claiming his country’s first-ever Asian Games javelin gold.
Rumesh Pathirage won gold at the Asian Games (Picture credit: AFP)
Asian Games gold medallist javelin thrower Rumesh Pathirage has said that the conditions in Aichi-Nagoya weren’t good because of rain and hence he couldn’t get a proper grip on his javelin, as his bid to break the Asian Games record failed, but he still finished on top of the podium.
Pathirage, who has been in the form of his life with three 90m-plus throws this season, clinched Asian Games gold in the men’s javelin with an 88.55m effort. He produced the winning throw with his sixth and final attempt at the rain-soaked Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium on Monday.
The Asian Games record in the men’s javelin throw stands at 89.15m, set by China’s Zhao Qinggang at the 2014 Games in Incheon. Going by the way Pathirage has performed this season, he could have easily passed that mark.
“The conditions weren’t good due to rain. I couldn’t get proper grip on my javelin. I had wanted to break the Games record and Asian record, but I couldn’t go for my massive throws like 90m,” Pathirage said while speaking to PTI.
“But I am happy to be the first-ever Sri Lankan javelin throw gold medal winner at the Asian Games. My next target is the World Championship next year and then the 2028 LA Olympics,” Pathirage added.
India’s Yashvir Singh, who replaced the injured Neeraj Chopra in the athletics team, won silver with a personal-best throw of 85.72m, while Rohit Yadav claimed bronze with an effort of 84.35m.
“Yeah, he (Neeraj) had a little injury to his ankle after the Lausanne Diamond League. It is his bad luck. I do sometimes speak to him,” Pathirage said.
It was a South Asian sweep of the medals at both the Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games, with Pathirage also heaping praise on India’s Yashvir and Rohit.
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Ask News18Rumesh Pathirage clinched the Asian Games gold medal in the men’s javelin throw with an 88.55m effort, producing the winning throw on his sixth and final attempt at the Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium.
Ask News18September 29, 2026, 09:38 IST
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