Rumesh Tharanga entered the record books as the first and only Sri Lankan athlete in history to win a Diamond League final. Showcasing extraordinary skill in the men's javelin throw, Rumesh clinched the coveted Diamond Trophy early yesterday morning in Brussels with a throw of 89.04 meters.

By achieving the highest placing ever by a Sri Lankan in a global event organized by World Athletics, Tharanga has emerged as this year's standout javelin thrower worldwide, securing 12 victories out of his last 13 competitions.

The 23-year-old completed a highly successful Diamond League circuit, placing 1st in Rome with 92.62m, 2nd in Rabat with 85.97m, 1st in Doha with 88.68m, 1st in Lausanne with 88.14m, and ultimately securing the trophy in Brussels with an 89.04m throw.

Entering the Brussels final as the World No. 1 ranked athlete in javelin throw, his winning throw was notably 1.57 meters ahead of runner-up Dawid Wegner of Poland. Poland's Dawid Wegner placed second with 87.47m, Trinidad and Tobago's Keshorn Walcott took third with 83.99m, Grenada's Anderson Peters finished fourth with 83.70m, and Kenya's Julius Yego came in fifth with 76.79m.

Rumesh, who previously won a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games, is now setting his sights on the upcoming Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, and the World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest.

Speaking after claiming the Diamond Trophy, the javelin champion expressed his gratitude to the Sri Lankan people for their continuous support throughout his journey.

“A vast number of people were blessing and supporting me. It truly gave me immense courage. Many people helped me along the way, and I extend my heartfelt thanks to all of them,” Rumesh Tharanga said.