Sri Lanka's Javelin Champ Returns to 'Broken' Welcome
Pathirage said the damaged javelins produced his three 90m-plus throws this season, leaving him to find replacements before the Asian Games.
- Sri Lankan javelin star Rumesh Pathirage faces a challenge ahead of the Asian Games after his competition equipment was severely damaged during a Turkish Airlines flight returning from Hungary following his victory at the World Athletics Ultimate Championships.
- The 23-year-old athlete relied on these specific javelins to achieve 90m-plus throws three times this season, with each throw underpinning his breakthrough 2026 performance.
- Following the discovery of the damage, Pathirage filed a complaint with the airline; specialized Nemeth competition javelins can cost more than INR 1 lakh each, making the loss significant.
- Before the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games begin this Saturday, Pathirage must find suitable replacements. He said, "It might have been a mistake by the airline, but that's how it is. I'll move on."
- Having won 11 of his last 12 international competitions, including the Diamond League Final in Brussels, Pathirage remains a leading gold medal contender despite the setback and his recent victory over two-time Olympic medallist Neeraj Chopra.
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The Sri Lankan star threw them over 92 meters, and he wanted to use three of them at the Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
"It was a big shock. We sent five copies, all of them were carefully packaged and protected, but they all arrived broken. For Rumeš, this is psychologically difficult. We planned to use three of these copies at the Olympics and the upcoming Asian Games as well."
The Express Tribune
Sri Lanka's javelin champ returns to 'broken' welcome
Officials promise replacements as he prepares to compete in Japan
Sri Lankas Rumesh Pathirage suffers setback as 5 winning javelins damaged in flight - The Tribune
Sri Lankan javelin thrower Rumesh Pathirage has suffered a setback ahead of the upcoming Asian Games after five of his “winning” javelins were damaged in air travel. The 23-year-old was returning to Sri Lanka from Budapest after competing at the World Athletics Ultimate Championship on September 13 on a Turkish airline flight. “All five of […]
Rumesh Pathirage’s Asian Games Preparations Hit By Major Setback After Historic Season
Rumesh Pathirage's three prized javelins, used for his 90m-plus throws this season, were damaged in transit while returning to Sri Lanka from Hungary. The setback comes just ahead of the Asian Games, where the Sri Lankan star is among the leading contenders
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