New Delhi: Indian javelin throw star Neeraj Chopra will be seen in action once again in the Lausanne Diamond League on Friday night. Neeraj, who hinted at a comeback by winning a silver medal in the Commonwealth Games 2026, will face the challenge this time from Sri Lanka's rising javelin star Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage. Pathirage had won gold and Neeraj won silver in the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, so there will be a special focus on the competition between the two in Lausanne.
For Neeraj, this match is not just another Diamond League competition. They will aim to improve their performances as well as strengthen their position in the race for the Diamond League finals at the end of the season. In the current ranking, Neeraj is said to be in seventh place with 5 points, while it is necessary to make it to the top six for the final.
Neeraj trying to regain rhythm after injury
The last one year has been challenging for Neeraj Chopra in terms of fitness. His comeback was hampered by a lower-back injury that had been bothering him since September 2025. This season, he participated in the Doha Diamond League for the first time, where he finished fourth with a throw of 85.69 meters.
After this, Neeraj won the silver medal in the Glasgow Commonwealth Games with a season best throw of 85.83 meters. Now he will enter Lausanne with the intention of further improving his performance. This competition is also considered important to test their preparations before the Asian Games.
Pathirage increased Neeraj's problems
Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage of Sri Lanka is in tremendous form at the moment. He won the gold medal in the Glasgow Commonwealth Games with a throw of 89.75 meters. Earlier in the Rome Diamond League, he had made a spectacular throw of 92.62 meters, which has been described as the best performance in the world this season.
In such a situation, the challenge before Neeraj will be very big. In Lausanne, he will have to give his best performance not only to remain in the medal race but also to challenge Pathirage who has been showing consistent strength beyond 90 meters.
Many big stars of javelin face to face in Lausanne
The importance of the competition has also increased because apart from Neeraj and Pathirage, many veterans of javelin throw are taking part in it. Big names like Arshad Nadeem, Anderson Peters, Keshorn Walcott and Julian Weber will also be in the fray.
Neeraj also has a special relationship with Lausanne. He won the Lausanne Diamond League title in 2022 with a throw of 89.08 metres. In 2024, he had secured second place here with a performance of 89.49 metres.
When and where to watch Neeraj Chopra's match?
The men's javelin throw event in the Lausanne Diamond League will start on August 21 at around 11:52 pm IST. It will not be telecast live on TV in India. Viewers will be able to watch online live streaming of the match on the official YouTube channel of Wanda Diamond League.
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