Meet Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage: Former Cricketer Who Defeated Neeraj Chopra In CWG 2026

Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage (Source: AFP)

In the men's javelin throw final at the Commonwealth Games 2026, former Sri Lankan cricketer Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage claimed the gold medal with a sensational throw of 89.75m. 

The massive effort helped him finish ahead of India’s double Olympic medallist Neeraj Chopra, who took silver with a best throw of 85.83m.

India's Yashvir Singh secured the bronze medal after producing a personal-best throw of 85.41m in his final attempt.

It is important to mention that before taking up this sport, Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage was a former cricketer. Having said this, in this article, let’s take a look at his journey as a cricketer.

Who Is Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage? The Former Cricketer Turned Javelin Champion

Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage started his journey in sports as a fast bowler in cricket. He was born in Kalutara, Sri Lanka, and during his early days in cricket, he regularly bowled at speeds of around 130 kph and even touched 134 kph while playing at the Under-18 level.

At the time, he was considered a promising young bowler and often finished behind only Eshan Malinga at local cricket. However, his sporting journey took a different direction after he was introduced to athletics.

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Guided by his father, Pathirage first trained in discus before switching to the javelin in 2017, and the decision cannot be denied to have completely changed his career.

"It was coach Tony who introduced me to javelin. He always tells me that if I master the basics and do them the right way, I will eventually reap the rewards. He is more than a coach. He doesn't just teach me the sport but about life as well," Pathirage said.

Even after leaving cricket professionally, Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage has never lost his love for the game. Whenever he returns home, he enjoys playing softball cricket as a way to relax and refresh his mind.

"I love playing cricket in my free time," he told Olympics.com. "Whenever I'm back home I love playing softball cricket with my friends in our village - it helps me relax; take my mind off my professional javelin."

How Did Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage Beat Neeraj Chopra To Commonwealth Games Gold?

Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage delivered the winning throw of 89.75m in his 2nd attempt during the men’s javelin final in Glasgow. The mark proved unbeatable and was especially impressive because the competition took place in cold and windy conditions.

Neeraj Chopra finished second with a best effort of 85.83m, while India’s Yashvir Singh produced a personal-best throw of 85.41m in his sixth and final attempt to secure the bronze medal on his Commonwealth Games debut.

Grenada’s Anderson Peters narrowly missed out on a medal after finishing fourth with 83.88m. Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem could not challenge for the podium and ended the competition in ninth place with 77.41m.

Pathirage's gold medal also carried historical significance. It became Sri Lanka’s first Commonwealth Games athletics gold since 2006.

Prominent Cricketers Who Have Played Other Sports

While Rumesh Pathirage has switched from Cricket to javelin, several other cricketers have also played different sports. Take a list below: 

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