Colombo, Sri Lanka, June 21, 2026: The National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka has congratulated Rumesh Tharanga for rising to No.2 in the men’s javelin world rankings.
Tharanga was ranked second - behind Germany’s Julian Weber - when the latest global rankings were announced on Tuesday, June 16 by World Athletics.
"The National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka proudly congratulates Rumesh on this exceptional accomplishment and wishes him continued success in the competitions ahead," the Sri Lanka NOC posted.
To celebrate his ascension, the former cricketer-turned-javelin thrower won the men’s javelin at the Doha Diamond League on Friday, June 19.
The Sri Lankan continued a remarkable season by defeating a world-class field with a throw of 88.68 metres to finish more than two metres clear of two-time world champion Anderson Peters from Grenada.
Tharanga, 23, now owns the top five marks of the season, including his personal best of 92.62m set in Rome earlier this month.
“Last year my throws were averaging around 85 metres, but 2026 is shaping up to be an incredibly strong year for me. This is my fourth competition within the span of 20 days. I’m incredibly tired right now, but I knew that if I could hit a throw in the 88-metre range I could secure the gold medal,” Tharanga told the media in Doha.