Lausanne: Indian javelin star Neeraj Chopra delivered his best throw in more than a year but narrowly missed out on the top spot, finishing second to Sri Lankan rising star Rumesh Pathirage at the Lausanne Diamond League on Friday.
The 28-year-old Chopra recorded a throw of 88.05 metres in his second attempt, finishing second in the nine-athlete field. It was his best effort since his 88.16m throw at the Paris Diamond League in June 2025 and also marked his season-best performance.
However, 23-year-old Pathirage continued his impressive run this season, producing an 88.14m throw in the third round to move ahead of Chopra by just nine centimetres and claim the title.
Chopra’s strong performance comes as he continues to build momentum ahead of the upcoming major athletics competitions, while Pathirage’s victory further underlines his emergence as a leading force in the men’s javelin throw.
