Rumesh Tharanga

Sri Lankan Airforce Corporal, Javelin Thrower

Sri Lankan Kalutara, Sri Lanka Aries

Quick Info

ProfessionSri Lankan Airforce Corporal, Javelin Thrower
NationalitySri Lankan
Date of Birth21/03/2003
Age23 years
BirthplaceKalutara, Sri Lanka
Zodiac SignAries

Latest News about Rumesh Tharanga

28/09/2026

Rumesh Tharanga won the men's javelin gold medal at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, with a throw of 88.55m. He became the first Sri Lankan to win an Asian Games javelin title and Sri Lanka's first gold of those Games. He beat India's Yash Vir Singh and Rohit Yadav, with Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem finishing fourth.

05/09/2026

Rumesh Tharanga won the men's javelin title at the 2026 Diamond League Final in Brussels with a throw of 89.04m on his third attempt. He became the first Sri Lankan athlete to win a Diamond League Final. Poland's Dawid Wegner took second place and Keshorn Walcott third.

31/07/2026

Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage won the men's javelin gold medal at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. The victory was historic for Sri Lanka because it delivered the country's first athletics gold at the Commonwealth Games and added to his rise as one of the world's top javelin throwers.

05/06/2026

Pathirage threw 92.62m at the Rome Diamond League, producing the world lead for 2026 and setting a new Sri Lankan national record. The performance also established him as one of the strongest javelin throwers in the world that season.

Do you like Rumesh Tharanga?

You can vote only once.

68% like · 32% dislike

Bio/Wiki

Full NameRumesh Tharanga Pathirage
Known forWinning gold medal in Javelin throw at Commonwealth games, which were organised in Glasgow, Scotland, in 2026

Physical Stats & More

Height (approx.)6' (183 cm)
Eye ColourBlack
Hair ColourBlack
Military BranchSri Lanka Air Force
Service Years2024-present
RankCorporal
SportAthletics
EventJavelin Throw
Achievements
  • Commonwealth finals: Gold Medal (2026)
  • Highest world ranking 1 (August 2026)
  • Personal bests: 92.62 m NR (2026)
  • Asian Games: Gold Medal (2026), first Sri Lankan Asian Games javelin gold
  • Diamond League Final: Title (2026), first Sri Lankan Diamond League Final winner
Medals
  • Gold medal (2026) in Glasgow
  • Gold medal (2025) in Ranchi
  • Gold medal (2024) in Mokpo
  • Gold medal (2026) at Asian Games, Aichi-Nagoya
Tournaments
  • 2019 | Asian Youth Championships (Hong Kong, China) - 6th Position
  • 2022 | World U20 Championships (Cali, Colombia) - 7th Position
  • 2024 | Asian Throwing Championships (Mokpo, South Korea) - 1st Position
  • 2025 | Asian Championships (Gumi, South Korea) - 4th Position
  • 2025 | Asian Throwing Championships (Mokpo, South Korea) - 1st Position
  • 2025 | World Championships (Tokyo, Japan) - 7th Position
  • 2025 | South Asian Championships (Ranchi, India) - 1st Position
  • 2026 | Commonwealth Games (Glasgow, Scotland) - 1st Position
  • 2026 | Asian Games (Aichi-Nagoya, Japan) - 1st Position
  • 2026 | Diamond League Final (Brussels, Belgium) - 1st Position

Educational Qualification(s)

College/UniversitySt. Peter's College, Colombo, Sri Lanka

Personal Life

ReligionBuddhism
Food HabitNon-vegetarian

Relationships & More

Marital StatusUnmarried

Family

FatherThushara Premakeerthi Pathirage (a discus and shot-put thrower)
MotherAsha

Career

Started learning discus throw from his father
Participated in athletics from 2011
Shifted focus to javelin throw in 2017
Became a professional athlete and represented St. Peter’s College, Colombo
Achieved significant success in junior championships before moving to international competitions
In 2026 won Commonwealth Games, Asian Games and Diamond League Final titles, and his 92.62m throw in Rome set a national record

Favourites

Hobbies
  • Travelling
  • Swimming
  • Playing cricket

Social Media

Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/rumeshpathiragee/
Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/rumesh.tharanga.921/

Some Lesser Known Facts

1. His father introduced him to athletics.
2. Initially aimed to be a cricketer inspired by Lasith Malinga.
3. Stood out as a fast bowler in cricket during his school days.
4. Competed in both javelin and discus events before choosing to focus on javelin.
5. Cricket was his main sport until 2017, with fast bowling as his specialty.

Also born on 21 March

Information on this page is collected from public sources and may not be 100% accurate. Report an error
Scroll to Top