Lausanne, August 22, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Neeraj Chopra produced his best throw of the 2026 season but narrowly missed out on the Lausanne Diamond League title, finishing second after Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage edged him by nine centimetres.
Chopra briefly moved into first place with an impressive 88.05-metre effort in his second attempt. Pathirage, however, responded with 88.14 metres in his third throw to reclaim the lead and eventually secure the title. Grenada’s Anderson Peters finished third with 86.69 metres.
The Indian javelin star opened with 83.54 metres before producing his season-best mark of 88.05 metres. He followed it with an 83.72-metre effort and then recorded a foul on his fourth attempt. Chopra skipped his fifth throw before closing with 82.15 metres.
Pathirage’s winning effort extended his dominance over Chopra this season. It was the third consecutive competition in 2026 in which the Sri Lankan finished ahead of the two-time Olympic medallist, following their previous encounters in Doha and at the Commonwealth Games.
Despite missing the top spot, Chopra’s performance was significant as it marked his best throw since his 88.16-metre effort while winning the Paris Diamond League in June 2025. The return to the 88-metre range also strengthened his position in the race for qualification for the Diamond League Final.
Chopra moved up to fifth in the season-ending Diamond League standings after his Lausanne performance, with the top six in the men’s javelin event earning automatic qualification for the final, while additional places can be available through national or global wildcards. One more Diamond League javelin competition remains in Zurich on August 27.
The Lausanne result leaves Pathirage firmly among the leading performers of the season, while Chopra’s season-best throw provides a significant boost ahead of the remaining competitions.
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