When Indian javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra returns to action on Friday against a lineup of formidable opponents in the familiar surroundings of the Doha Diamond League, he would hope that his protracted injury-induced break from competition has not affected his rhythm.
Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage, a rising talent from Sri Lanka who just crossed the 90-meter mark, would be among the elite field in Doha.
However, since the World Championships in September of last year, the 28-year-old Chopra has been recovering from a back injury that has kept him from competing. With a below-average throw of 84.03 meters, he had finished ninth in that event, but he will be looking to get off to a fast start at the Qatar Sports Club.
In May last year, the two-time Olympic medallist broke the coveted 90-meter mark in Doha. He finished second behind German competitor Julian Weber (91.06m) with a time of 90.23m.
The violence in West Asia forced a postponement of the season-opening event, which was originally scheduled for May 8. Chopra, a late addition to the nine-man field, has been training in Switzerland since May 25 following a period of recuperation in Turkiye.
“I started throwing one and a half months ago and we took our time. Then I asked Doha (organisers) if it’s possible if I let them know (about taking part in Doha DL) in very short period, like one week ago. They said yes and then we decided after my last session, okay let’s compete in Doha,” PTI quoted Chopra as saying at the pre-event press conference.
“I will try my best. I feel really good and fit, let’s see tomorrow,” Chopra responded when asked if he was aiming for another 90-meter throw.
Chopra will face Pathirage, who has been at the top of his game this season. With his incredible 92.62-meter throw during the Diamond League Rome leg on June 4, the 24-year-old Sri Lankan is currently leading the season. He is only the fourth Asian and 28th worldwide to surpass the coveted 90-meter mark.
This season, he has made two more throws of 89 meters or more. After winning the famous Golden Spike meet in Ostrava, Czechia, with a throw of 86.57 meters, he entered the Doha DL. His performance in Rome surpassed Chinese Taipei’s Chao-Tsun Cheng (91.36m) and Chopra (90.23m), but it fell short of Pakistani Arshad Nadeem’s gold-winning throw of 92.97m at the Olympics in Paris.
The eighth-longest throw in history was his. Additionally, it was the world’s best throw since Nadeem’s victory in the 2024 Olympic final. Chopra and Pathirage will face each other for the first time on the Diamond League stage and only for the third time overall.
Their head-to-head record is 1-1. In July 2025, Chopra hosted the NC Classic in Bengaluru, where he won gold. Pathirage came in third with 84.34 meters. However, Pathirage placed seventh (84.38m) while Chopra finished a disappointing eighth in the Tokyo World Championships last year.
“It’s really amazing (achievement). He’s really good, he’s good good friend of mine. I’m happy for him, and for what he did for Sri Lanka,” said Chopra.
Since 2024, Pathirage has been a regular in India. In 2024, he participated in his first National Inter-State Championships at Panchkula, Haryana, when the Athletics Federation of India welcomed a Sri Lankan team. In October 2025, he participated at the South Asian Athletics Championships in Ranchi, India, where he won gold with a throw of 84.29 meters.
With a superb performance of 86.50 meters, he also won gold in the first Indian Open World Athletics Bronze Level Continental Tour event in Bhubaneshwar.
The current world champion Keshorn Walcott of Trinidad and Tobago, two-time world champion Anderson Peters of Grenada, bronze-medalist Curtis Thompson of the United States, Julius Yego of Kenya, Jakub Vadlejch of Czechia, Mohamed Huseein Ahmed Sameh of Egypt, and Artur Felfner are among the other competitors in Doha.
Arshad Nadeem, the Olympic champion from Pakistan, withdrew from the Doha DL after it was announced on June 12.
Chopra was included on Sunday in India’s 32-member athletics team for the forthcoming Commonwealth Games, if he meets the 82.61-meter qualifying mark set by the Athletics Federation of India (AFI), which is not a high bar for him.
Glasgow, Scotland will host the Commonwealth Games from July 23 to August 2.
