Sri Lankan javelin throw champion Rumesh Tharanga has risen to third place in the latest world rankings, marking a significant achievement for Sri Lanka’s athletics.

According to the latest rankings, Tharanga has secured a score of 1,324 following outstanding performances in recent international meets.

The Sri Lankan athlete achieved this milestone following a remarkable performance at the recent Diamond League Athletics Championships held in Rome, Italy.

The 23-year-old delivered a historic performance at the Rome Diamond League, producing a stunning throw of 92.62 metres to set a new national record in the men’s javelin throw.

Tharanga won the Rome Diamond League beating some of the world’s leading athletes including Anderson Peters of Grenada, Keshorn Walcott of Trinidad and Tobago, Rohler Thomas of Germany and Curtis Thompson of the United States.

The remarkable throw at Rome by Tharanga is the second furthest by an Asian athlete and eighth best in world history, marking one of the finest performances ever recorded in the discipline.

While establishing a new Sri Lankan record, Tharanga also announced to the world, he will be one of the frontrunners to win a medal at javelin at the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.

With this achievement, Tharanga brought Sri Lanka into the spotlight on the international athletics stage.

Meanwhile, German athlete Julian Weber is still the top ranked javelin thrower with 1,360 points, while Grenada’s Anderson Peters is ranked second with 1,326 points.

Tharanga has surpassed several world-class athletes, including Olympic gold medalists, in the latest standings. 

Accordingly, world-renowned Indian athlete Neeraj Chopra is in 5th place in these rankings, while Pakistan’s current Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem is in 10th place. Another Indian athlete, Sachin Yadav, holds the eighth position.