Budapest glory to airport heartbreak

by Reemus Fernando

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Champion javelin thrower Rumesh Tharanga has received plethora of support from the Sports Ministry to leading businessmen to replace the competition javelins damaged during his retun flight following his historic triumph at the World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest.

‎While the Sports Ministry has moved swiftly to provide him with a new set of high-quality competition javelins to ensure that the unfortunate incident does not disrupt his preparations for forthcoming Asian Games, social media was abuzz with call for support moments after Tharanga revealed that the javelins he used for a series of victories abroad have been damaged.

‎Tharanga discovered the damage to his equipment after arriving at the Bandaranaike International Airport.

‎The 23-year-old was returning with two trophies following his triump at the Diamong League Series final (Brussels) and the Ultimate Championship in Budapest.

‎The Sri Lanka Airforce athlete created history by winning the men’s javelin title with a 91.09m effort at the World Athletics newly formed global event the Ultimate Championship on Sunday. It was just a week after the world number one clinched the Diamond League title.

‎The victories he achieved during the Diamond League series, the final and the Ultimate Championship has elevated him to a position where no other Sri Lankan track and field athlete has ever dreamt of reaching and has also earned him a lucrative price bag. He has arguably become the richest track and field athlete in Sri Lanka during his breakthrough season, in which he has established himself as the leading javelin thrower and the number one ranked thrower in the world.

‎The damaged equipment reportedly included javelins used for his outstanding performances beyond the 90-metre mark, including his winning throw in Budapest and his 92.07m effort in Zurich.

‎The damage has been estimated to be more than Rs. 2 million.

‎According to reports Tharanga has lodged a complaint over the incident, while steps are also expected to be taken to seek compensation from the airline responsible for handling the equipment during the journey.

‎The Sports Ministry’s decision to immediately replace the damaged equipment will ensure that the incident does not interfere with his training ahead of the Asian Games which starts later this week.

‎Tharanga’s success under coach Tony Prasanna has elevated Sri Lanka’s profile in world athletics, making the protection and provision of proper competition equipment an increasingly important part of his international campaign.

‎His recent success at international stage has kept the social media abuzz and the reaction to the news of his damaged javelins was overwhelming with pledges of support coming from leading businessmen in the caliber of Dudley Sirisena to general uses of different platforms. A far cry from the days when he had little backing on his journey to the World Junior Championships.

MAS Holdings, the official clothing sponsor for Team Sri Lanka, unveiled and handed over the national contingent’s official kit ahead of the 20th Asian Games, Aichi–Nagoya 2026 last week.

‎The Games will be held from 19 September to 4 October 2026 in Aichi Prefecture and Nagoya, Japan. Developed in partnership with the National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka (NOC Sri Lanka), the kits were presented at a press event held last week at the Duncan White Auditorium, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports in Colombo.

‎As the official clothing sponsor, MAS will outfit Team Sri Lanka’s athletes across a wide range of disciplines at the Games, including Archery, Athletics, Badminton, Boxing, Cricket, Golf, Gymnastics, Rowing, Rugby, Sailing, Squash, Surfing, Table Tennis, Beach Volleyball, Weightlifting, Wrestling, Hockey, Basketball, Wushu and Kabaddi.

‎”Each discipline places different demands on movement, fit and comfort, and the kits were developed with these varying performance requirements in mind, while maintaining a consistent Team Sri Lanka identity across the collection,” a statement from the sponsors said.

‎The full collection spans four kit types: Casual, Podium, Travel, and sport specific performance kits covering everything from the team’s travel to Japan and training days to competition and podium appearances.

‎The design draws inspiration from the ocean currents that move around Sri Lanka. The continuous movement and energy of the waves reflect the drive, resilience and momentum of Sri Lankan athletes.

‎”Our design and innovation teams have worked closely with the NOC to build a range of garments that perform well while displaying a strong sense of Sri Lankan identity,” said Arosh Fernando, Director – Product Innovation at Bodywear, MAS Holdings. “The energy of the ocean currents that surround our island felt like a fitting expression of the momentum and resilience our athletes carry into these Games, and we are honored to stand behind them as they represent the country.”

‎As one of the world’s leading sportswear manufacturers, over the years, MAS has extended its expertise to national teams across several sporting disciplines.

‎”Yes, it is about manufacturing capability and expertise, but for us it is also about passion and commitment,” said Rajiv Dharmendra, Chief Executive Officer at Bodywear, MAS Holdings. “As an organisation, we are determined to support local athletes to compete at their best on the international stage. Clothing and performance garments should be an enabler in their achievements, and we are grateful for the opportunity to offer that.”

Andrew Wijemanne produced a determined performance to advance to the second round of the ITF J60 Tennis Tournament Week 2, being held at the Sri Lanka Tennis Association courts from September 14 to 19.

‎Wijemanne defeated Thailand’s Tachatam Srisen 7-6, 6-0, 4-0 in the first round, with Srisen retiring early in the decisive third set.

‎After edging a tight opening set, Wijemanne raised his game significantly to dominate the second 6-0. He then carried that momentum into the third set, racing into a commanding 4-0 lead before his Thai opponent was forced to retire.

‎The victory sees Wijemanne move into the next round of the international junior tournament with considerable confidence.

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‎Boys’ First Round Results

‎Ashling de Silva (Sri Lanka) bt. Jagruth Kasireddy (India) 7-6, 6-3

‎Aahil Kaleel (Sri Lanka) bt. Phasin Sinchalong (Thailand) 6-4, 6-3

‎Rehan Gunawardhene (Sri Lanka) bt. Darsh Khedekar (India) 6-4, 6-2

‎Damsath Peiris (Sri Lanka) bt. Jiho Park (Korea) 6-4, 6-4

‎Nevan Kannangara (Sri Lanka) bt. Abhiram Maurya (India) 6-2, 6-1