Indian star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra showcased his talent at the Lausanne Diamond League 2026. Despite achieving his season’s best throw, he finished in second place.
Sri Lanka’s Rumes Tharanga claimed the title with a throw of 88.14 meters, while Grenada’s Anderson Peters secured third place with a throw of 86.69 meters.
Neeraj’s competition began on a less-than-ideal note, managing only a throw of 83.54 meters in his first attempt. Meanwhile, Rumes Tharanga took the lead early, throwing the javelin 85.99 meters on his first try. However, Neeraj made a strong comeback in his second attempt, achieving a throw of 88.05 meters, marking his best throw of the season. Rumes, on the other hand, could only manage 87.06 meters in his second attempt.
Neeraj’s third attempt did not meet expectations, resulting in a throw of 83.72 meters. Rumes reclaimed the lead with a throw of 88.14 meters in his third attempt. Neeraj fouled on his fourth attempt, while Rumes also struggled to improve his distance. Neeraj did not throw in his fifth attempt and managed only 82.15 meters in his sixth. Rumes fouled in both his fifth and sixth attempts, but his third throw proved decisive for his victory.
Earlier, Neeraj had won a silver medal at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow with a throw of 85.83 meters. He acknowledged that his performance had been affected by a return from injury. At the same Commonwealth Games, Rumes had secured the gold medal with a throw of 89.75 meters.