Neeraj Chopra finished second in the men's javelin at the Lausanne Diamond League after producing a season-best throw of 88.05m in his second attempt.

Sri Lanka's Rumesh Pathirage won the competition with 88.14m, edging Chopra by nine centimetres. Grenada's Anderson Peters finished third with 86.69m.

Chopra opened with 83.54m before improving significantly with his second throw. He then recorded 83.72m, a no-mark in the fourth round, skipped his fifth attempt and finished with 82.15m in his sixth.

The 88.05m effort was Chopra's best since his 88.16m throw at the Paris Diamond League in June 2025. It also surpassed his 85.83m effort from the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, where he won silver behind Pathirage.

Pathirage edges Chopra again

Pathirage reclaimed the lead in the third round after Chopra had briefly moved to the top with his 88.05m throw.

The Lausanne victory marked Pathirage's third consecutive win over Chopra in 2026. The Sri Lankan thrower had previously finished ahead of him at the Doha Diamond League and the Glasgow Commonwealth Games.

Pathirage has been one of the standout performers in men's javelin this season. He won the Doha and Rome Diamond League meetings and the Commonwealth Games title, where he threw 89.75m. He also became the first Sri Lankan to surpass 90m with a 92.62m effort in Rome in June.

Chopra builds momentum after injury

The Lausanne performance represents another positive step for Chopra as he works his way back after a lower-back injury.

His season began later than usual, and he finished fourth at the Doha Diamond League before winning silver at the Commonwealth Games. The 88.05m throw in Lausanne indicates an improvement in both distance and consistency.

After the competition, Chopra said he was pleased with the 88m effort and felt increasingly comfortable in competition.

"I didn't realise it was only nine centimetres, it was really close, but I'm happy with the 88-metre throw," Chopra said. He added that he felt relaxed during the throw and was gradually returning to his form.

Diamond League qualification race

The Lausanne result also strengthened Chopra's position in the Diamond League standings. The top six men's javelin throwers qualify for the season-ending final in Brussels on September 4 and 5.

The final Diamond League meeting featuring men's javelin is scheduled for Zurich on August 27. Chopra will have another opportunity there to improve his position before the Brussels final.

Chopra's second-place finish is significant because of the quality of the throw rather than the medal alone. His 88.05m mark is his first 88m-plus effort since June 2025 and comes after a season affected by injury and a disrupted competition schedule.

At the same time, Pathirage has emerged as a major challenger. His consistency and ability to produce throws above 85m across competitions have given him an advantage over Chopra in their three meetings this season.

The immediate focus will now shift to Zurich and then the Diamond League final in Brussels. Chopra also faces the Asian Games, where he is expected to defend his title. His Lausanne performance suggests that he is moving closer to his competitive best, although Pathirage's current form adds a new dimension to the javelin competition.