Sri Lankan Rumesh Pathirage continued his impressive form in 2026 by adding another feather, as the 23-year-old won the men’s javelin throw event at the 2026 World Athletics Ultimate Championship.
Although the Sri Lankan started the Final event with an average throw of 75.89m, his next two throws were 85.69m and 87.11m. His final throw was 91.09m, which was strong enough to secure the historic title.
Anderson Peters from Grenada managed the second place with his best throw of 86.18m. In the meantime, German Julian Weber (85.89m) and Trinidadian Keshorn Walcott (82.41m) secured the next two spots. The Paris 2024 Summer Olympics gold medalist, Pakistani thrower Arshad Nadeem, managed his season-best performance with a throw of 81.49m, which ended with another disappointing finish in fifth place.
2026 World Athletics Ultimate Championship: Men’s Javelin Throw – Champion
Rumesh Pathirage (Sri Lanka): 91.09m
2026 World Athletics Ultimate Championship: Men’s Javelin Throw – Final Status
Rank | Athlete (Nation) | Round | Distance (meters) | Notes | |||
1 (m) | 2 (m) | 3 (m) | 4 (m) | ||||
1 | Rumesh Pathirage (Sri Lanka) | 75.89 | 85.69 | 87.11 | 91.09 | 91.09 | |
2 | Anderson Peters (Grenada) | 80.18 | 86.18 | 84.15 | 82.63 | 86.18 | |
3 | Julian Weber (Germany) | 84.09 | 85.89 | 78.84 | 78.75 | 85.89 | |
4 | Keshorn Walcott (Trinidad and Tobago) | 76.44 | 82.41 | 81.97 | x | 82.41 | |
5 | Arshad Nadeem (Pakistan) | 74.42 | 79.66 | 81.49 | 81.49 | SB | |
6 | Julius Yego (Kenya) | 79.76 | x | 80.23 | 80.23 | ||
7 | Dawid Wegner (Poland) | 72.51 | 77.21 | 77.21 | |||
8 | Curtis Thompson (United States) | 74.40 | 75.80 | 75.80 | |||
*SB = Season Best for a player
Who is Rumesh Pathirage?
Sri Lankan javelin thrower Rumesh Pathirage has shone in the ongoing calendar year. Before the World Athletics Ultimate Championship, he won the Commonwealth Games 2026 gold medal and the 2026 Diamond League title.
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