Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage registered just one legal throw in the final of the men’s javelin but with 89.75 metres, he outclassed a world-class field, comprising the Olympic Champion, the World Champion and India’s golden boy Neeraj Chopra to win the gold medal at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games.As compelling as Pathirage’s story is – a fast bowler-turned- javelin thrower from an island nation known more for producing sprinters – the bigger picture was the continuing shift in the power centre of the discipline.For the first time at the Commonwealth Games, all three javelin medallists were from South Asia, with Chopra winning the silver (85.83m) and another Indian, Yash Vir Singh finishing third with 85.41 metres in his sixth and final throw.While mainland European nations, the traditional powerhouses in javelin, hardly a part of the Commonwealth Games, recent results have shown that challengers from other parts of the world are making major progress and winning the big medals.This is not the first time Asians have won major medals in javelin throw. Chopra is an Olympic and World Champion. At the 2024 Paris Olympics, Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem and Chopra completed a 1-2 on the podium, while Grenada’s Anderson Peters finished third to mark the first time no European was on the podium in the history of the Summer Games. India’s Neeraj Chopra competes in the Men’s Javelin Throw Final at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, Friday, July 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)At last year’s World Championships, a resurgent Keshorn Walcott of Trinidad and Tobago, who stunned the world when he won the 2012 London Olympics gold, finished first. Anderson Peters of Grenada and USA’s Curtis Thompson won silver and bronze respectively to keep the Europeans out of the podium again.Kenya’s Julius Yego played his role in pushing the Europeans aside by winning the 2015 World Championships. No European has won gold at the World Championships or Olympics in nearly a decade.Story continues below this adThe biggest takeaway from Glasgow for India is not the silver medal for Chopra but Singh finishing third, making a double podium for the country. While Chopra has been the trailblazer by becoming the first Indian to win gold in track and field at the Olympics or the World Championships, others like Singh have been inspired to dream big.Singh made a mark when he bettered Chopra’s Under-20 Federation Cup record in 2021. But he bided his time before shining on the big stage.Others like Kishore Kumar Jena (Asian Games silver medallist) and Sachin Yadav (Asian Championship silver medallist) have made an impact, but consistency and bouncing back successfully have been the biggest challenges for those aiming to emulate Chopra.As for Pathirage, winning gold in tough conditions with headwinds, is a considerable achievement. He had been the only thrower this year to cross the 90-metre mark, achieved at the Diamond League in Rome last month, to lay down the marker ahead of the Commonwealth Games. While he was undoubtedly talented, the world was waiting to see if he had it in him to deliver in a final when competing among some of the finest in the world.Story continues below this adThe fierce competitor in Chopra won’t be happy with a second- place finish despite a season-best throw in Glasgow. On his return from a nine-month injury layoff, he had finished fourth at the Doha Diamond League. At the Asian Games, he will once again face Pathirage and Nadeem, the reigning Olympic champion. Failure at the CWG will spur the Pakistani to prove a point in Aichi-Nagoya. In global javelin, being the best in Asia carries weight.Nihal Koshie is an Associate Editor and sports writer at The Indian Express. He is best known for his in-depth reporting and investigative work that often explores the intersection of sports and social issues. He is also a key member of the sports desk, which is based out of The Indian Express' office in Noida. Professional Background Role: Associate Editor (Sports) at The Indian Express. Key Achievements: He is a two-time winner of the prestigious Ramnath Goenka Award for Excellence in Journalism. He won the RNG award for 'Sports Journalism' for 2019 for his exclusive interview and follow up stories with sprinter Dutee Chand, who became the first Indian athlete to say she was in a same-sex relationship. He won his second RNG award in the 'Investigative Reporting' for 2023 for a series of exclusive stories related to sexual harassment charges levelled against WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh by the country's top women wrestlers. Expertise: While he covers major sports, he is particularly recognized for his extensive reporting on Athletics, investigative stories and long-form news features. Recent Notable Topics & Articles (Late 2025) Nihal Koshie’s recent work reflects a focus on investigative and human-interest stories Recent investigative pieces: He recently wrote a profile of an Indian teenager serving a jail sentence in Kenya after being embroiled in a doping scandal while chasing "Olympic dreams." Wrestling: He continues to track the political and social fallout of the Indian wrestling protests, including the recent public appearances of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and the political career of wrestler Vinesh Phogat. Recent long-form features: The story of the rise of Kranti Gaud, the young fast bowler who was a key member of the ICC women's World Cup-winning team; The physics and science behind modern cricket bats Podcast Presence He is a guest and contributor to the "Game Time" podcast by The Indian Express, where he provides technical and social analysis of current sporting events. Experience: 24+ years Previous experience: Times of India (2001-2005), Daily News and Analysis (2005 to 2010) Nihal joined The Indian Express in May, 2010 Social Media X ( formerly Twitter) : @nkoshie You can follow his latest work and full archive on his official author profile. ... Read More