Rumesh Pathirage has suffered an unexpected setback just days after claiming a major title and just days before the Asian Games. Imagine losing your specialised, precious instruments with which you created your memorable records? That's what happened to Sri Lanka’s rising athletics sensation.
The 23-year-old won the men’s javelin at the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championships in Budapest with a superb 91.09m throw, finishing well clear of a strong field that included Grenada’s Anderson Peters.
Pathirage was returning to Colombo when three of his specialised competition javelins, the same ones he used for all his 90m-plus throws this season, were found damaged. The equipment, which can cost more than Rs 1 lakh each, was being transported by Turkish Airlines. All three instruments have now been destroyed.
Sri Lanka's Rumesh Pathirage's 'all three' 90m Javelins destroyed just days before Asian Games
In a statement shared after landing, Pathirage said:
“All three javelins I used for over 90 throws have been damaged.”
Rumesh described the incident as an unfortunate mistake but insisted it was “not a big issue” and that he would simply move on. The timing is particularly unfortunate as the Asian Games are just days later.
Pathirage is widely regarded as one of the favourites for the Asian Games and had been in outstanding form throughout 2026, posting a world-leading national record of 92.62m earlier in the season. The javelins used by elite athletes like Rumesh are highly specialised pieces of equipment.
These throwers often develop a preference for particular models and setups, and this coming just ahead of a major competition is a huge setback for the athlete. His javelins are manufactured by a Hungarian company known as Javel Inn Ltd.
A formal complaint has been lodged with the airline, as per reports. For now, the young champion is focusing on the challenges ahead rather than dwelling on the damage. He is forced to replace the damaged equipment ahead of entering the javelin competition held in Japan.
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