Colombo, Sri Lanka, June 9, 2026: The National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka has extended its warmest congratulations to Sri Lankan javelin thrower Rumesh Tharanga on his historic performance at the Wanda Diamond League in Rome, Italy last week.
Tharanga, 23, produced a remarkable throw of 92.62 metres to win the gold medal, setting a new Sri Lankan national record and becoming the first athlete in the world to surpass the 90-metre mark during the 2026 season. His performance ranks as the eighth-best men’s javelin throw of all time.
Sri Lanka NOC posted: “On behalf of the entire Olympic Movement in Sri Lanka, NOC Sri Lanka congratulates Rumesh Tharanga on this extraordinary milestone. His achievement has brought immense pride to the nation and serves as an inspiration to aspiring athletes across the country as he continues his journey towards the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.”
To put Rumesh’s effort into context, Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem won the gold medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics with a throw of 92.97m. India’s Neeraj Chopra took the silver with 89.45m.
Rumesh, who gave up fast bowling in cricket to take up the javelin, is among one of eight Sri Lankan athletes selected to receive the prestigious IOC Olympic Solidarity Scholarship for the LA28 Olympics. He was awarded the scholarship in September 2025.