‘It’s his bad luck’: Rumesh Pathirage reveals he missed Neeraj Chopra after Asian Games gold

Neeraj Chopra and Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage Sri Lankan javelin thrower Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage said he missed out on seeing Neeraj Chopra compete at the Asian Games, describing the Indian star’s absence as “bad luck” after an ankle injury forced him out of the continental event.Chopra, a two-time Olympic medallist, was unable to defend the Asian Games javelin gold he won last year in China after tearing his ankle ligament during training last month.Asian Games full coverage | Schedule | Medal totalMaking the most of Chopra’s absence, Pathirage produced a winning throw of 88.55m in his sixth and final attempt at gold at the rain-hit Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium on Monday.India’s Yashvir Singh, who replaced the injured Chopra in the athletics team, won the silver with a personal best of 85.72m, while Rohit Yadav secured the bronze with 84.35m.“Yeah, he had a small ankle injury after the Lausanne Diamond League. It’s his bad luck,” 23-year-old Pathirage told PTI when asked if he missed Chopra after the event.“Sometimes I talk to him (Chopra),” he added.

Pathirage and Chopra’s destinies change

Pathirage and Chopra have shared the field at major events, with the Indian also inviting the Sri Lankan to compete in the inaugural NC Classic javelin event in Bengaluru in July last year.Chopra won the event with a throw of 86.18m while Pathirage finished third with 84.34m.The results were very different this year.Pathirage won all three competitions in which Chopra competed. He started by winning the Diamond League in Doha in June, where Chopra finished fourth. The Sri Lankan then won gold at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, with Chopra taking silver.The pattern continued at the Lausanne Diamond League in August, where Pathirage finished first and Chopra was second.Pathirage was also in remarkable form during the season, recording three throws over 90 metres. He finished first in 13 of the 14 races he participated in this year, and finished second in the remaining competition.His list of titles includes four Diamond League meetings, the Diamond League Final, the World Athletics Ultimate Championships, the Commonwealth Games and now the Asian Games.Despite the dominance, Pathirage insisted there is no elaborate secret behind his success.“No secret, just normal training every year,” he said when asked about his form and three 90m throws this season.

“Yashvir and Rohit are very good”

Pathirage also praised the two Indian throwers who shared the podium with him in Chopra’s absence.“Yashvir and Rohit are very good. His average throw was 85m. Maybe, I think, next year Yashvir and Rohit can produce big throws for India.”The result capped South Asia’s run of men’s javelin medals at the Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games.However, for Pathirage, the winning roll did not achieve what he had hoped for.“The conditions were not good because of the rain.“I couldn’t grip my javelin properly. I wanted to break the Games record and the Asian record, but I couldn’t go for my massive throws like 90 meters.”“But I am happy to be Sri Lanka’s first ever Asian Games javelin gold medalist.

The World Championships and the Olympics in LA follow

Pathirage had already turned his attention to his other main targets.“My next goal is the World Championships next year and then the 2028 LA Olympics.The Sri Lankan made his World Cup debut last year but believes he will enter next year with more experience.“I raced at the World Championships for the first time last year when I had less experience. Now I have some experience and we’ll see what happens. I’ll do my best.”