Chopra second as Pathirage clinches Lausanne title
Neeraj Chopra finished second at the Lausanne Diamond League on Friday. He trailed Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Pathirage by just nine centimetres. The Indian javelin ace reached 88.05 metres in his second attempt.
The twenty-three-year-old Pathirage pushed ahead with an 88.14-metre effort in the third round.
A Narrow Contest
Grenada’s Anderson Peters took third place with a final-round throw of 86.69 metres. Reigning world champion Keshorn Walcott sat fourth at 83.71 metres. Curtis Thompson landed sixth with 78.13 metres. Jakub Vadlejch rounded out the top seven at 77.32 metres.
The gap between first and second was minimal but decisive. Pathirage has been in strong form this season.
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Standings and Next Steps
Chopra opened with 83.54 metres before finally unleashing his season’s best mark. “I didn’t realise it was only nine centimetres, it was really close, but I’m happy with the 88-metre throw,” he said.
“To be honest, it didn’t feel like it went 88m because I felt very relaxed. I tried really hard and later focused on my technique.”
The result moves the Indian competitor up to fifth in the overall standings. He was sitting seventh before this meet. Only the top six athletes earn automatic qualification for the season-ending Finals in Brussels next month. One extra spot may open through a wildcard selection.
Pathirage and Peters already have their tickets punched. They sit atop the table with twenty-three and twenty-two points respectively. There is still one more Diamond League meeting featuring men’s javelin in Zurich on August 27.
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The two South Asian rivals met for the third time this year. Pathirage claimed victory in Doha and again at the Commonwealth Games, while Chopra finished fourth and second, respectively. Their rivalry has intensified this season.
Chopra skipped his fifth attempt, likely to conserve energy ahead of the Asian Games next month. He followed that decision with an 82.15-metre effort in his final rotation.
Chopra’s 88.05m throw was his best since the 88.16m he recorded at the Paris Diamond League in June 2025. It was also his season’s best performance.
Crowds in Lausanne and Zurich are known for their understanding of athletics, as Chopra noted. “Competing here always feels good,” he said.
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Chopra has finished outside the top two in just two competitions over the last five years. His consistency remains a hallmark of his career.
This season has been different due to an injury that delayed his return until the Diamond League in Doha. He wasn’t at full fitness during the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, where he won silver with a season-best throw of 85.83 metres.
Pathirage has been dominant in recent matchups. He breached the 90-metre mark this season and won gold at the Commonwealth Games with a throw of 89.75 metres.
For jumps and throws, the top six in the standings qualify for the Diamond League Finals. One additional athlete may compete via a wildcard. Zurich remains the final opportunity to earn ranking points before Brussels.
