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.
Lausanne Diamond League: Full Event Recap & Results
- First round: All nine participants completed their opening throws, with Neeraj Chopra sitting second behind Rumesh Pathirage. Anderson Peters was third.
- Pathirage extended his lead: The Sri Lankan produced a massive 87.06m throw, while Curtis Thompson managed 74.58m.
- Peters moved into second: Anderson Peters threw 84.76m in his second attempt, moving ahead of Neeraj.
- Neeraj takes the lead: Neeraj Chopra delivered his trademark roar with a stunning 88.05m throw to move into first place.
- Pathirage responds: Rumesh Pathirage immediately reclaimed the top spot with an 88.14m throw in his third attempt.
- Neeraj falls short: Chopra's third throw measured 83.72m, leaving him behind Pathirage.
- Wieland eliminated: Simon Wieland finished last and was knocked out of the Lausanne Diamond League competition.
- Pathirage stays on top: He produced 86.71m in his fourth attempt to retain the lead.
- Neeraj records a foul: Chopra's fourth attempt was ruled a foul, leaving him with only two attempts to overtake Pathirage.
- Peters remains third: Anderson Peters' best throw stood at 86.61m, keeping the battle for the top two between Neeraj and Pathirage.
- Pathirage fouls: The Sri Lankan recorded a foul in his fifth attempt, but his 88.14m mark remained the benchmark.
- Neeraj skips fifth attempt: Chopra opted not to take his fifth throw, leaving his final attempt as his last chance.
- Pathirage fouls again: He failed to register a mark in his final attempt, leaving Neeraj and Peters with a chance to challenge his lead.
- Neeraj finishes second: Chopra's final throw measured 82.15m, while Peters recorded 86.69m. Pathirage's 88.14m remained unbeatable.
- Final result: Rumesh Pathirage won gold, Neeraj Chopra finished second, and Anderson Peters took third as the Lausanne Diamond League javelin event came to an end.
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