Neeraj Chopra praises Pathirage's monumental surge as South Asian javelin rivalry builds steam: 'Javelin is getting attention'

Indian javelin star Neeraj Chopra expressed his thoughts on the triangular South Asian rivalry following the recent rise of Sri Lanka's Rumesh Pathirage.

Neeraj has received competition from Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem over the years, and Pathirage has now emerged as a significant rival after making history with a record 92.62m throw at the Rome Diamond League.

Chopra was recently in action against Pathirage at the Doha Diamond League on Friday, where the Sri Lankan prodigy sealed a victory with an 88.68m throw. The two-time Olympic medalist said he isn't surprised by the 23-year-old's rise in the sport.

Neeraj thrilled over Javelin's rise in South Asia

Speaking to the media at the Indian Athletics Awards in New Delhi, Neeraj praised Pathirage's ability, acknowledging the competitive landscape. He also celebrated the growth of javelin in the South Asian region with fresh talent coming through and making their mark on global athletic stages.

More from Sports

"Rumesh is very talented. I met him last year. I thought he would throw well. I met him again. I felt very good. There is a lot of competition in South Asia. The Commonwealth Games and Asian Games are going to be equally tough, like the World Championships and Olympics.

Also Read |Neeraj Chopra shows promising signs on injury return in Doha, but still has catching up to do

"It's good for the Javelin community. Our Javelin is getting attention in this area. It's a good thing. New talents will come forward. Rumesh is also a new talent. He is very young," Neeraj said.

Neeraj qualifies for Commonwealth Games

Neeraj made his long-awaited competitive return at the Doha Diamond League, producing an 85.69m throw and finishing fourth in the event. 

While speaking about his performance, Neeraj emphasised that he only wanted to play without pressure and get a good throw during the competition.

Also Read | Neeraj Chopra Highlights, Doha Diamond League: Chopra finishes 4th on comeback, Pathirage wins 2nd consecutive DL meet

"There was no pressure. I just wanted to play. I wanted to do what I was doing in training. I didn't try to put in any extra effort. You must have seen that I just wanted to get a good throw. And I got 85.69. I was satisfied with that. Because I wasn't doing that much (throw) in training," Chopra added.

Neeraj Chopra has qualified for the upcoming Commonwealth Games after breaching the required 82.61m mark and would represent the nation at the quadrennial tournament in Glasgow, Scotland.