By Srian Obeyesekere

 

Sri Lanka's Rumesh Tharanga has emerged to be the country's hottest sports sensation.

 

Indeed, the 23-year old's rise has been phenomenal.

 

A rollercoaster saga of a teenager who by a tryst of fate stepped away from a dreamy cricketing career to someday represent his country taking aim at batsmen as a fast bowler to trying his hand in throwing a javelin. That was as a 17-year-old in

his native Kalutara before joining St. Peter's College, Bambalapitiya.At St. Peter's the switch to athletics was to change Rumesh's world as he has gone on to exclaim, 'Cricket's Loss is Javelin's Gain' with the world at his feet.

 

Today, Rumesh Tharanga, born on March 21, 2003, an Air Force Corporal by profession has performed the near impossible having straddled the world No 1 Javelin Rankings. A truly Skyrocketing journey in literal black magic style to becoming an overnight superstar superseding everything else in the local sports arena. A saga that started with his historic Commonwealth Gold medal feat beating the cream of the world. The gigantic everest feat proved to be the turning point in his career by the tumultuous milestone feat becoming the first Sri Lankan to win a Commonwealth Gold medal in history.

 

He followed it up in style by a further massive conquest winning the men’s javelin throw at the Diamond League Final in Brussels to become the country’s first Diamond League champion. It marked his second major world big stage triumph with a fantastic third-round throw of 89.04 metres. Tharanga thus became the first Sri Lankan to straddle world athletics a king of the javelin having reclaimed the world No.1 spot he lost briefly following his Commonwealth milestone.

 

His latest and second major world triumph in as many days in quick succession following his Glasgow Commonwealth gold on August 1 that thrust him into No 1 in the world rankings has by large raised Tharanga's stocks bordering on the extraordinary in an   extended run that has marked his 12th victory in his last 13 competitions this year.

 

His Diamond feat saw Tharanga put into the backseat Poland’s Dawid Wegner who was second with a 87.47m throw to take the silver medal followed by Trinidad and Tobago’s Keshorn Walcott in third place.

 

By large, Tharanga has become the cynosure of all eyes. The darling of Lankan athletic fans reaching dizzy heights in a timely build up to the September 19 Asian Games. His latest Brussels exploits the ultimate high point in a journey that will see Sri Lanka's top athlete join the Lankan contingent in Japan as he flexes his muscles for gold in Asia's biggest of extravaganzas.

 

Indeed, his is a type of stellar storybook saga of a sportsman who shifted gears from one to the other to making his lifeline in a sweat of gold in a very trying sport that requires immense sacrifice to staying in tip top physical shape. That he has gone through the mill in reaching that point is certainly a great tale of success decorated in an enduring career of sweat, blood and tears.