Rumesh Tharanga could become second Asian to win Athlete of the Year award after Qatar's Mutaz Essa Barshim in 2017
Updated Date: 8th October, 2026
He is the new hype in Sri Lanka!
Sensation, Sensation, Sensation to the Sensational has been Sri Lanka's new sports wonder boy Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage's recent phenomenal rise that has decorated the world record breaking javelin thrower in a shower of Gold all the way. A Golden aura. An aura that has by now propelled him like a flash Gordon not just into the Sri Lankan public eye, but an entire world.
That such a rocketing to fame in a stellar fit for a storybook saga that has followed the Sri Lankan in a gold strike one after another in quick succession has apparently by and large put Rumesh right up there in contention for the highly prestigious 2026 Athlete of the Year Award. In the compelling magical that has attracted the World Athletic Council to short list the Sri Lanka's World No. 1 ranked javelin thrower in a 10-man lineup from which the winner will be selected by the world athletic award panel.
That Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage stands right up there in hot contention could we'll see him become the second Asian to win the huge award in the wake of Mutaz Essa Barshim of Qatar in 2017.
The next best an Asian has come close to the award is India's Javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra who went up to the 5 finalists in 2023.
By Srian Obeyesekere
