SRI LANKA's Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage won the men's javelin gold at the Commonwealth Games on Friday, beating India's Neeraj Chopra with a throw of 89.75m.
Pathirage produced his winning effort in his second attempt under cold and windy conditions. India's Chopra took silver with a season's best throw of 85.83m, while compatriot Yashvir Singh claimed bronze with a personal best of 85.41m on his final attempt.
The event had been expected to be a contest between Chopra and Pakistan's Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem, but Pathirage led the field with a throw that fell just 0.25m short of the 90m mark.
The near-90m effort came in testing weather conditions. Pathirage is the only javelin thrower this season to have crossed the 90m mark, with his personal and season's best of 92.62m recorded while winning the Rome Diamond League in June.
The 28-year-old Chopra, the Tokyo Olympics champion, produced his best throw in the second round. His effort was slightly better than the 85.69m he managed while finishing fourth at the Doha Diamond League on June 19, his only other competition this season.
Chopra had returned from a lower back injury that has troubled him since September last year. The injury delayed his return until the Diamond League in Doha. This was his second Commonwealth Games after winning gold at the 2018 edition in Gold Coast.
He said he was still working his way back to full fitness.
“I can’t say fitness is like before. But I’m getting there slowly. There is still time for the Asian Games. I will compete in Diamond League before that. There will be more improvement. Will improve slowly,” Chopra said after his event.
He said he was satisfied with his comeback.
“Although we always want the national anthem to play but I did my season best and comeback is going okay, there are other competitions as well. I am happy,” he said.
“The weather was better than yesterday. It was good in the staring but later it became cold and there was wind.
“I also had a one go throw only, I thought it will go further but it didn’t fly. I thought I could have pushed myself further. I’m trying to get into my rhythm. I am not able to do that well in these conditions, I like hot weather … (I’m) Indian blood.”
Yashvir, 24, made an impressive Commonwealth Games debut by securing bronze with his final throw. His 85.41m effort was a personal best, improving on his previous best of 83.72m.
He had been in seventh place after the fifth round, with his third attempt measuring 81.33m, before producing the medal-winning throw.
“I am happy that I could do my personal best and also get a medal in such conditions,” he said.
The third Indian in the competition, Rohit Yadav, finished seventh with a best throw of 81.56m.
Athletes from the Indian subcontinent claimed all three medals in the men's javelin event.
Pakistan's defending champion and reigning Olympic gold medallist Arshad Nadeem was eliminated after three rounds with a best throw of 77.41m. Reigning world champion Keshorn Walcott of Trinidad and Tobago finished sixth with 82.55m.
Chopra opened with 80.97m before producing his best throw of 85.83m in the second round. His next two attempts measured 81.29m and 80.73m, while his final two throws were fouls.
Chopra briefly led the 12-man field before Pathirage responded with 89.75m in his second attempt to move into first place, a position he held until the end despite recording fouls in his remaining five attempts.
The 23-year-old Pathirage has enjoyed a strong season, winning seven of the eight competitions he has entered. He has claimed Diamond League titles in Doha and Rome and finished second in Rabat, Morocco.
Pathirage's rise has also attracted attention because he developed his throwing ability as a young cricket bowler before switching to javelin.
