New Delhi: and Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Pathirage are set to renew their rivalry in the Lausanne Diamond League in Switzerland on Friday, with a spot in the final in Brussels at stake.
The two athletes will square off again just three weeks after the in Glasgow, where Pathirage clinched the gold medal, and Chopra finished with silver.
Pathirage has delivered brilliant performances this season. The Sri Lankan has won the Diamond League events in Doha and Rome. He also secured a gold medal in Glasgow with a throw of 89.75m, and crossed the 90-metre mark for the first time this season with a throw of 92.62m in Rome in June.
Pathirage has secured eight victories in the last nine competitions he has participated in this season, while Chopra continues his comeback after recovering from a lower back injury that has troubled him since September last year. The injury has delayed his comeback until the Doha Diamond League, and he was also not fully fit during the Commonwealth Games but still managed to secure a silver medal with a season-best throw of 85.83m.
“I can’t say my fitness is there like before. But I’m getting there slowly,” the 28-year-old Chopra had said at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games. He has returned to his training camp in Biel, Switzerland, where he has continued his rehabilitation and training under his childhood coach Jaiveer Chaudhary and physiotherapist Ishan Marwah.
Chopra will further look to improve his performance in Lausanne. He has been one of the most consistent javelin throwers in recent years, finishing outside the top two in only two competitions over the past five years.
Lausanne Diamond League live streaming details
When is the Lausanne Diamond League?
The men’s javelin competition at the Lausanne Diamond League will begin at around 11:52 PM (IST) on Friday, August 21.
Where to watch the Lausanne Diamond League in India?
The Lausanne Diamond League 2026 will not be broadcast on television in India. The event will be live-streamed on the Wanda Diamond League’s YouTube channel in India.