Sri Lanka’s best hopes for a breakthrough at the World Athletics Championships 2025 hinge on javelin throwers Sumedha Ranasinghe and Rumesh Tharanga, who will compete in the qualification rounds today (17) at the iconic Japan National Stadium.
This year marks the country’s strongest javelin campaign on the global stage since 2007, with both athletes aiming to book a place in the final. The automatic qualification mark is set at 84.50m, or a top-12 finish across both groups.
Veteran thrower Ranasinghe, 34, will compete in Group A at 3:40 PM Sri Lanka time, while rising star Tharanga, 22, enters Group B at 5:15 PM. Both are part of a closely watched internal rivalry that has redefined Sri Lanka’s javelin landscape.
Tharanga, coached by Tony Prasanna, has been one of the sport’s breakout names in 2025. His season-best throw of 86.50m last month not only secured qualification but also propelled him to 10th in the world rankings. With nine throws beyond 82 metres this year, Tharanga arrives in Tokyo with a rare level of consistency for a Sri Lankan field athlete.
Ranasinghe, under the guidance of Pradeep Nishantha, is no stranger to the international stage. He famously became the first Sri Lankan to break the 80-metre barrier at the 2016 Rio Olympics, setting a national record of 83.03m. Though his form waned in recent seasons, the experienced campaigner reclaimed his national record earlier this year with a throw of 85.78m at the Sri Lanka Open Stage 2 — surpassing the World Championship qualification mark in the process.
Their rivalry ignited earlier this year when Tharanga briefly held the national record with a throw of 85.41m, only for Ranasinghe to answer back a week later.
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