'Incredible and proud day for Sri Lanka' - Sangakkara praises Pathirage for CWG Javelin gold
London, Aug 1
Former Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara said Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage winning a historic gold medal in men's Javelin Throw at the 2026 Commonwealth Games here has led to an incredible and proud day for his nation to rejoice.
Pathirage, 23, became only the fifth Sri Lankan to win a Commonwealth Games gold medal, after landing a decisive throw of 89.75 metres on his second attempt at the Scotstoun Stadium in Glasgow.
Despite registering five fouls across the final, that single legal throw proved sufficient for Pathirage to clinch the gold medal ahead of India's star javelin thrower and Tokyo Olympics champion Neeraj Chopra, claimed the silver medal with a best effort of 85.83m, while India's Yash Vir Singh secured bronze medal with a personal-best 85.41m.
"Incredible and proud day for Sri Lanka," Sangakkara wrote on his 'X' account on Saturday. Pathirage, a former fast bowler who once clocked 134 kph at the Under-18 level, switched to athletics under coach Tony Prasanna, whom he credits for his transformation.
Pathirage's gold ended a 20-year wait for Sri Lanka at the Commonwealth Games, marking the nation's first gold medal since weightlifter Chinthana Vidanage topped the podium at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.
2024 Paris Olympics bronze medallist Anderson Peters of Grenada narrowly missed out on a medal by finishing fourth with an 83.88m throw. Meanwhile, reigning Olympic champion, Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem, finished a distant ninth with a best effort of 77.41m.
Though he fell short of the automatic qualification mark of 84m during the qualifiers on Thursday, Pathirage still topped the field with a best throw of 82.84m. Now, one can truly say that Sri Lankan cricket's loss has clearly turned out to be athletics' gain, and a moment of immense national pride for the island nation.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Congratulations to Sri Lanka! 🎉 This is what makes the Commonwealth Games so special - smaller nations producing giant killers. That 89.75m throw was absolutely monstrous! Though I'm disappointed for Neeraj Chopra, having two Indian athletes on the podium (silver & bronze) is still a great result. Hopefully this friendly rivalry with our Lankan neighbours pushes both countries to greater heights in athletics!
Heartwarming to see Sri Lanka celebrate this after 20 long years. The story of a fast bowler switching to javelin and throwing 89.75m is pure inspiration. Neeraj will bounce back stronger, but today belongs to Pathirage and the Lankan fans. What a moment for the island nation! 👏
As someone who watches athletics regularly, this result isn't shocking. Pathirage's qualifying round showed he was in top form. The 89.75m throw would have challenged the best in the world. But let's be honest - Neeraj Chopra's consistency is still unmatched. He had a bad day with fouls, yet still managed silver. This friendly competition between India and Sri Lanka will only elevate both athletes.
So proud to see Asian athletes dominating global competitions! 🇮🇳🇱🇰 First Chopra, then Nadeem, and now Pathirage - we're witnessing a golden era of South Asian javelin throwers. The 2026 CWG podium had 2 Indian and 1 Sri Lankan - what a spectacle for the world! Pathirage's story from cricket to athletics is movie material. Massive respect! 🌟
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