Neeraj Chopra finishes second, Pathirage wins title in Lausanne Diamond League
Indian athlete Neeraj Chopra secured second place at the Lausanne Diamond League with a season-best throw of 88.05m. He was narrowly defeated by Sri Lankan competitor Rumesh Pathirage, who won with a throw of 88.14m.
Why it matters
This result is significant for international athletics rankings and qualifies top performers for the upcoming Diamond League Finals.
Indian javelin ace Neeraj Chopra produced his best performance in more than a year but was pipped to the post by the rising Sri Lankan star Rumesh Pathirage for the top spot by a mere nine centimetres in the Lausanne Diamond League meet in Lausanne on Friday (August 21, 2026).
The 28-year-old Chopra’s 88.05m throw in the second round, which fetched him the second spot in the nine-man star-studded field, was his best after the 88.16m he recorded while winning the Paris Diamond League in June 2025. It was also his season’s best throw.
However, the 23-year-old Pathirage continued his juggernaut this season as he overtook Chopra with his third-round throw of 88.14m.
Grenada’s Anderson Peters was third with his sixth and final round effort of 86.69m.
Reigning world champion Keshorn Walcott of Trinidad and Tobago was fourth with a best throw of 83.71m.
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