Rumesh Tharanga Ends 20-Year Wait:Clinches Sri Lanka's First Commonwealth Javelin Gold

COLOMBO (News 1st); Rumesh Tharanga, the Sri Lankan javelin thrower, has managed to win a gold medal for Sri Lanka at a Commonwealth Games after 20 years.

He achieved this feat by displaying a performance of 89.75 meters in the men's javelin throw final held early this morning.

Consequently, this became Sri Lanka's first gold medal at the 2026 Commonwealth Games.

This is the first gold medal won by Sri Lanka at a Commonwealth Games since weightlifter Chinthana Geethal Vidanage won a gold medal in 2006.

This is also the first Commonwealth gold medal won by Sri Lanka in the javelin throw event.

It is also significant that Sri Lanka won a gold medal at a Commonwealth Games in an athletics event after 76 years.

Today, Rumesh won Sri Lanka's 5th Commonwealth gold medal.

India's former Olympic and World champion, Neeraj Chopra, secured the silver medal in this event.

Earlier, at the Rome Diamond League, Rumesh registered a throw of 92.62 metres, setting a personal best and the highest mark recorded so far this year.

The highest performance ever displayed globally by an athlete in the men's javelin throw event is 98.48 meters.

Rumesh is currently placed 2nd in the world rankings.