New Delhi: Neeraj Chopra produced his strongest javelin throw in more than a year, though he narrowly missed out on victory at the Lausanne Diamond League meet on Friday. The Indian star took second place after recording 88.05m, with Sri Lanka’s in-form Rumesh Pathirage edging past him by just nine centimetres.
Chopra’s second-round effort was his best throw since the 88.16m he registered while winning the Paris Diamond League in June 2025. It was also his best mark of the current season.
Pathirage, however, replied with an 88.14m throw in the third round and took the lead. Grenada’s Anderson Peters completed the podium with a best effort of 86.69m in his final attempt. Reigning world champion Keshorn Walcott finished fourth with 83.71m, while the USA’s Curtis Thompson stood sixth with 78.13m. Tokyo Olympic silver medallist Jakub Vadlejch ended the competition seventh with 77.32m.
Chopra Pleased With 88-Metre Throw
Chopra admitted that the contest with Pathirage was extremely close and said he was satisfied with his performance in Lausanne. The 28-year-old noted that it was close but was happy with the 88-metre throw. He added that the throw initially did not feel particularly big as he felt relaxed during the attempt before focusing more closely on his technique.
The result also helped Chopra improve his position in the Diamond League standings. He moved into the top five in the season-ending qualification rankings after entering the Lausanne event in seventh. The next opportunity for Chopra to collect points will come at the Zurich Diamond League on August 27, which also features the men’s javelin competition.
The Lausanne result marked the third consecutive competition this season in which Pathirage has finished ahead of Chopra. The Sri Lankan had previously defeated the Indian in the Doha Diamond League and at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games.
Pathirage’s remarkable form has made him one of the biggest names in men’s javelin this season. He has won the Doha and Rome Diamond League meetings in addition to claiming gold in Glasgow with a throw of 89.75m. His best performance came in Rome in June, where he produced a massive 92.62m. That made him one of the few active throwers to cross the 90m barrier.
Pathirage has won eight of the nine competitions he has entered this season, underlining the consistency that has made him a formidable rival for Chopra.
Chopra Continues Comeback From Injury
Chopra’s Lausanne performance represents another encouraging step in his return from a lower-back injury that has affected him since September last year. The issue delayed his return to competition until the Doha Diamond League.
He began the Lausanne final with 83.54m before producing his 88.05m effort in the second round. His third throw measured 83.72m, while his fourth attempt was recorded as a no-mark. Chopra then skipped his fifth attempt before finishing with 82.15m in the sixth round.
The decision to sit out the fifth attempt could have been aimed at managing his workload, with the Asian Games scheduled for next month.
Chopra had earlier won silver at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games with a season-best 85.83m, despite admitting that he was not yet back to full fitness.
Chopra’s Strong Diamond League Record
Despite the recent challenge from Pathirage, Chopra remains one of the most consistent javelin throwers on the international circuit. The two-time Olympic medallist has finished outside the top two in only two competitions over the past five years.
He has also enjoyed considerable success at the Diamond League Finals, winning the title in 2022 and finishing runner-up in 2023, 2024 and 2025.
The top six athletes in the jumps and throws standings qualify for this year’s Diamond League Finals in Brussels on September 4-5, with an additional athlete potentially gaining entry through a national or global wildcard.
Pathirage and Peters have already secured their places after collecting 23 and 22 points respectively. The Lausanne event had been expected to feature an especially strong javelin field, but reigning world champion Arshad Nadeem and newly crowned European champion Julian Weber withdrew before the competition.
