Javelin Thrower Rumesh excels in Perth

Sri Lankan Javelin thrower Rumesh Tharanga cleared a distance of 85.41m, a performance which is world’s leading distance so far in Men’s Javelin Throw for this year. Rumesh achieved this distance during the Perth Classic Athletics, held at the Western Australia Athletics Stadium on Saturday.Tharanga did this best achievement in his fourth attempt while he started first attempt with 80.60m.

Tharanga’s achievement is a new meet record at the Perth Classic, with the existing record of 85.40m set by Australia’s own Andrew Currey in 1998.

The 21-year-old Sri Lankan narrowly missed the opportunity to qualify for the World Athletics Championship to be held in Japan, by a mere nine centimetres.

The qualifying standard for the World Athletics Championship has been set as 85.50m, the same distance as for the 2024 Paris Olympics, which Tharanga fell short by just five centimetres in June 2024.

Though Tharanga missed out on earning direct qualification for the World Athletics Championship by 9 cm, he will have another opportunity to train and better his performance at the upcoming competition in Sydney, Australia said Sri Lanka Athletics President Major General (Retd.) Palitha Fernando.

Earlier Tharanga accounted for the national record after clearing 85.45m at the regional meet held in South Korea in 2024.

Source:Daily News