Neeraj Chopra comes second in Diamond League, Loses to Rumesh Pathirage Again

Neeraj Chopra comes second in Diamond League: Neeraj Chopra took second place at the Lausanne Diamond League on Saturday, finishing just behind Sri Lanka's Rumesh Pathirage once again.

Chopra moved into the lead after his second throw, but Pathirage quickly regained the top spot, and Neeraj was unable to catch up.

This is the third time in the 2026 season that Pathirage has finished ahead of India's two-time Olympic medalist.

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Neeraj Chopra Comes Second in Diamond League

Pathirage won the Lausanne Diamond League with a top throw of 88.14 metres. Neeraj finished second with 88.05 metres, and Anderson Peters of Grenada took third with 86.69 metres.

Earlier in 2026, Pathirage had already beaten Neeraj twice.

In June, Pathirage threw 88.68 metres to beat Neeraj. They faced each other again at the Commonwealth Games, where Pathirage won gold, and Neeraj took silver.

Neeraj Chopra vs Rumesh Pathirage

Neeraj Chopra 88.0m Throw: At the Lausanne Diamond League, Neeraj opened with a throw of 83.54 metres, placing him second behind Pathirage after the first round.

On his second throw, Neeraj took the lead and celebrated with his trademark roar after reaching 88.0 metres.

Rumesh Pathirage 88.14m Throw: Pathirage answered with an 88.14-metre throw on his third attempt to reclaim the lead. Neeraj followed with 83.72 metres, remaining in second place.

He fouled on his fourth attempt, leaving only one more chance to catch. In the next round, Neeraj skipped his throw, and Pathirage fouled, so the standings stayed the same before the final attempts.

Rumesh Pathirage Wins Lausanne Diamond League: Neeraj Fails to Improve on His Last Throw

Neeraj Chopra comes second in Diamond League: Indian javelin thrower Neeraj could not improve on his last throw, managing just over 82 metres, and Pathirage secured the win.

This result was important for Neeraj's chances to move up in the season-ending Finals standings.

Only the top six javelin athletes qualify for the final, with extra spots available only through a national or global wildcard. Before this event, Neeraj was seventh in the standings with five points.

Diamond League Finals: Road to the Title

Neeraj Chopra comes second in the Diamond League: Chopra's second-place finish has moved him from seventh to the top five in the Diamond League Finals standings.

The top six athletes in jumps and throws will compete at the DL Finals in Brussels on September 4 and 5.

Each event may also include one additional athlete who qualifies via a national or global wildcard.

Pathirage and Peters have already qualified for the DL Finals with 23 and 22 points. Another Diamond League meet with the men's javelin throw is set for Zurich on August 27.

Chopra won the DL Finals in 2022 and finished second in 2023, 2024, and 2025.

The contest between the two South Asian rivals met expectations. Chopra threw 88.05 meters on his second attempt, which gave him a short lead over Pathirage.

Pathirage, who represents Sri Lanka, responded with an 88.14-meter throw on his third attempt to take back the lead.

This is the third straight time that 23-year-old Pathirage has beaten two-time Olympic medalist Chopra this year.

He also defeated the Indian star at the Doha Diamond League and the recent Glasgow Commonwealth Games, winning both events, while Chopra finished fourth and second, respectively.

Chopra’s Comeback: What’s Next?

Neeraj Chopra opened with 83.54m before improving to 88.05m, his best throw of the season. The effort was better than the 85.83m that won him silver at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games.

His third throw reached 83.72m, followed by a no-mark in the fourth round. Chopra skipped his fifth attempt and finished with 82.15m.

The decision may have been to avoid extra strain ahead of next month’s Asian Games.

The 88.05m effort could boost Chopra’s confidence as he continues his comeback from a lower-back injury.

He briefly took the lead after Sri Lanka’s Pathirage threw 87.06m, but Pathirage reclaimed the top spot in the third round.

Pathirage has enjoyed an outstanding season, winning the Doha and Rome Diamond League events and the Glasgow gold with an 89.75m throw.

He also recorded a season-best 92.62m in Rome, becoming one of the leading javelin throwers this year.

Chopra, a two-time Olympic medallist, has been rebuilding his fitness since returning from injury. He has finished outside the top two only twice in the past five years.

The Lausanne event lacked some star power, with world champion Arshad Nadeem and European champion Julian Weber absent.

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