Once a rising fast bowler in Sri Lanka, Rumesh Tharanga has now emerged as one of the world’s top javelin throwers. At just 21, he leads the 2025 global rankings after an 85.41m throw at the Perth Track Classic. Originally a cricket prodigy, Tharanga clocked 134 km/h as a teenager but chose to pursue javelin after being inspired by Neeraj Chopra’s success. Training in Australia under Mike and Kelsey Barber, he has quickly risen through the ranks, winning gold at the 2024 Asian Throwing Championships.
Despite missing Olympic qualification by just 5 cm, Tharanga remains focused on greater achievements. Now equipped with the Nordic Valhalla javelin, the same model used by world champion Chopra, he believes he has much more to unleash. His training at the Queensland Institute of Sport has refined his technique, and he is pacing himself for bigger throws later in the season. If his trajectory continues, Tharanga could soon join South Asia’s growing dominance in world javelin, proving that Sri Lanka has a new track and field superstar in the making.
Source: Pace Sensation to Javelin World Leader – Sports | Daily Mirror
