Neeraj Chopra qualifies for Diamond League final despite missing Zurich event

Neeraj Chopra has secured a place in the six-man Diamond League Finals despite appearing at only two of the five qualifying meetings this season. The two-time Olympic medallist accumulated 12 points to finish sixth in the men’s javelin standings, earning a berth for the season-ending competition in Brussels on September 4 and 5. Overall, he missed three meetings, including Thursday’s event in Zurich.

Notably, Neeraj’s qualification was confirmed after the Zurich meeting, where Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage produced the standout performance. The Commonwealth Games champion sent his final throw to 92.07m, the second-longest effort of his career. His personal best



remains the 92.62m throw recorded at the Rome Diamond League in June.

Pathirage dominated the qualification table with 39 points from five appearances. He has won four of those meetings, with his only exception coming in Rabat, where he finished second with 85.97m.

The 23-year-old also topped the Zurich competition from the outset. His second attempt travelled 88.23m before he improved to 89.90m with his third. He saved his biggest effort for the final round, crossing the 92m mark. His performance in the entire season has been commendable, as the Sri Lanka-born athlete surpassed 90m in 2026 and recorded seven throws beyond 88m, including five over 89m.