Neeraj Chopra and Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage faced each other again at the Lausanne Diamond League, and once again, it came down to the smallest of margins. Pathirage produced 88.14m to take gold, while Neeraj finished second with a season-best 88.05m — just 9cm behind.
For Neeraj, though, the result was about more than just a silver medal. It showed that his rhythm is coming back.
At the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, the two had already gone head-to-head. Pathirage won gold with a huge 89.75m, while Neeraj took silver with 85.83m. The conditions in Glasgow were cold and windy, and Neeraj was also returning from a long injury layoff.
Neeraj had spoken about needing time to get back into his full rhythm. In Lausanne, we got a glimpse of what that rhythm looks like.
His series was 83.54m, 88.05m, 83.72m, X, X, 82.15m, with the 88.05m throw coming on his second attempt.
Pathirage, meanwhile, continued his outstanding season. After beating Neeraj in Glasgow, he once again finished ahead of the Indian star in Lausanne — but this time, the difference was only 9 centimetres.
That makes the rivalry even more interesting.
Commonwealth Games:
🥇 Pathirage — 89.75m
🥈 Neeraj Chopra — 85.83m
Lausanne Diamond League:
🥇 Pathirage — 88.14m
🥈 Neeraj Chopra — 88.05m
The first battle was won comfortably by Pathirage. The second was decided by just 9cm. And that is why the next chapter will be so interesting. Now, it’s time for the Asian Games.
Will Pathirage make it three wins in a row against the Olympic champion, or will Neeraj Chopra finally turn the tables? One thing is certain: the battle between these two giants is getting more intense with every competition.
For Indian fans, the biggest positive from Lausanne is simple — Neeraj is back around the 88m mark, and the Golden Boy is finding his rhythm again.