Neeraj Chopra threw his season's best 85.83m for silver at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, while compatriot Yash Vir Singh clinched bronze with a personal-best 85.41m as Sri Lanka's Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage claimed gold with a massive 89.75m throw.
Neeraj Chopra drew large crowds at Scotstoun Stadium in Glasgow on Friday (July 31, 2026), with residents including a sizeable number of Indians turning out to watch the Olympic and world champion compete in the men's javelin throw at the Commonwealth Games.
In chilly conditions hovering around 14 degrees Celsius, it was Sri Lanka's Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage who adjusted quickest, producing a stunning second-round throw of 89.75m to seize gold. The 23-year-old's effort pushed Neeraj, who managed his season's best of 85.83m, into second place.
India's Yash Vir Singh secured his maiden Games medal with a superb performance in his sixth and final attempt, throwing 85.41m to win bronze — also a personal best for him. Rohit Yadav came seventh with an effort of 81.56m.
Pathirage's huge second-round throw effectively sealed the contest, with his celebrations suggesting he knew he had produced a mark that would be extremely difficult to surpass. It remained untouched for the rest of the final. It took officials some time to confirm the distance after the gold-winning throw, with initial announcements suggesting it could have been beyond 90m.
Grenada's Anderson Peters finished fourth with an effort of 83.88m, while defending Commonwealth Games champion Arshad Nadeem of Pakistan endured a disappointing outing, managing only 77.41m to finish ninth and miss the top eight.
Speaking to the press afterward, Neeraj said he was happy with the silver, more so because it produced two Indians on the podium. "I am very happy. It was similar at the Asian Games in 2023, where I won gold and Kishore Jena won silver. Yash Vir has done his personal best here, which was very important for him. And I am very happy that we are on the podium. I am always happy whenever the national anthem is played. But it's ok [to win silver] as I did my personal best and my comeback is getting better," he said.
Reporting sourced from The Hindu Sport. Photo courtesy The Hindu Sport.