Sri Lanka's Tharanga wins men's javelin gold at 2026 Asian Games

Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage of Sri Lanka won the gold medal in the men's javelin throw at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, with a throw of 88.55 metres. The result is Sri Lanka's first gold medal at the Games.

The final was held in challenging rainy conditions that made the event difficult for all competitors. Tharanga opened with 73.53 metres and was in third place after the first three rounds. He moved into the lead on his fourth attempt with 88.33 metres. His fifth attempt was unsuccessful. On his sixth and final attempt he produced his best throw of the competition, 88.55 metres, to win gold.

India's Yashvir Singh took silver with 85.72 metres. His compatriot Rohit Yadav won bronze with 84.35 metres. Sri Lanka's Sumedha Ranasinghe finished sixth with a best throw of 78.08 metres.