Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage, Sri Lanka’s premier hope for gold at the upcoming Asian Games, is dealing with a significant equipment crisis after his javelins were destroyed during a return flight from the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship. The 23-year-old athlete, who recently secured gold in Budapest, Hungary, with a 91.09-metre throw, discovered the damage upon arriving at Katunayake.
Following his successful season—which included titles as a Diamond League champion and Commonwealth Games champion—the world number one took to social media to document the loss. He shared an image of five ruined javelins, sarcastically thanking Turkish Airlines and listing the impressive distances he had achieved with them: “85.98, 92.62, 88.50, 89.20, 89.37, 88.20, 89.68, 92.06, 91.06 good bye.”
Pathirage’s coach, Tony Prasanna, described the incident as a “rude shock,” noting that the equipment had been packed with extreme care. “We checked in five javelins—all packed extremely carefully and well—but all of them arrived broken,” Prasanna stated. He emphasized that the loss goes beyond the financial cost, noting the emotional toll on the athlete. “This is a psychological setback for Rumesh, and I will counsel him on it. We were planning to take three of these javelins to the 2028 Olympics and to the Asian Games,” he added.
Addressing the incident, Pathirage remarked that while it might have been an airline error, it represents a “priceless loss” for his career. Professional javelins are precision instruments, typically costing over $800 each, and elite throwers rely on specific sets for both training and international competition.
The Sri Lankan Ministry of Sports has stepped in to mitigate the impact, pledging to provide new equipment for the Nagoya Asian Games. In a formal statement, the ministry confirmed it will pursue legal action against the airline. Officials remain optimistic that Pathirage, the first Sri Lankan to claim a Diamond League title, will still be a top contender at the Games, where he is set to face Pakistan’s Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem. The report also notes that the 23-year-old won gold in Budapest, Hungary, with a best throw of 91.09 metres to add yet another title to his growing collection this season, including Diamond League champion, Commonwealth Games champion, and the only thrower this season to register two throws over 92m.
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