Setback for Sri Lankan Javelin Star Rumesh Pathirage Ahead of Asian Games

Rumesh Pathirage Faces Javelin Setback

Sri Lankan javelin thrower Rumesh Pathirage has encountered a significant challenge just before the Asian Games, as five of his prized javelins were damaged during air travel.

The 23-year-old athlete was returning to Sri Lanka from Budapest, where he participated in the World Athletics Ultimate Championship on September 13, aboard a Turkish airline.

Pathirage expressed his disappointment, stating, "All five of my winning javelins were damaged inside the aircraft. I intended to use them for the upcoming Asian Games, the 2028 Olympics, and the World Championship."

He has since filed a complaint with Turkish Airlines regarding the incident.

This season has been remarkable for Pathirage, as he has surpassed the 90-meter mark on three occasions, all with the javelins that were unfortunately damaged.

In July, he made headlines by defeating two-time Olympic medallist Neeraj Chopra, securing Sri Lanka's first athletics gold medal since 1950 at the Commonwealth Games held in Glasgow.

With an impressive record of winning 11 out of his last 12 international competitions, including the Diamond League Final in Brussels earlier this month, he is considered a strong contender for gold at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, which commence on Saturday.