Daijiworld Media Network - Lausanne
Lausanne, Aug 22: India's star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra finished second at the Lausanne Diamond League on Friday with a season-best effort of 88.05 metres, falling just nine centimetres short of Sri Lanka's Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage, who won with 88.14 metres.
Chopra's performance marked his first throw beyond 88 metres this season and offered a major boost after a difficult start to his 2026 campaign. Before Lausanne, he had finished fourth at the Doha Diamond League and second at the Commonwealth Games without crossing the 86-metre mark in either competition.
The Indian Olympic champion opened his series with an 83.54-metre throw. Pathirage immediately set the early benchmark with 85.99 metres before improving it to 87.06 metres with his second attempt.
Chopra responded with his second throw, producing 88.05 metres to take the lead temporarily. The effort improved his previous season best by 2.23 metres and put him firmly in contention for the title.
Pathirage, however, reclaimed the lead with his third attempt, sending the spear 88.14 metres. Chopra could not better his mark in the remaining rounds and had a no-mark on his fourth attempt. He skipped his fifth throw before returning for his final attempt, which measured 82.15 metres.
Pathirage also failed to improve his winning mark in the closing rounds, but his 88.14-metre effort was enough to secure victory by the narrowest of margins.
Grenada's Anderson Peters finished third with 86.69 metres, while Kenya's Keshorn Walcott placed fourth with 83.71 metres.
The Lausanne result extends Chopra's wait for a victory on the international circuit. His last competitive win came at the Neeraj Chopra Classic in Bengaluru in July 2025. Nevertheless, the 88.05-metre effort represents a significant step forward as he looks to build momentum for the remainder of the season.
The contest also further underlined the growing rivalry between Chopra and Pathirage. The Sri Lankan has been in outstanding form in 2026 and has now again edged Chopra in a closely fought javelin competition.
Chopra's strong showing in Lausanne is particularly significant as he targets qualification for the Diamond League Final in Brussels and prepares for the major competitions ahead.