Sri Lankan javelin thrower Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage has been nominated for the 2026 Men’s World Athlete of the Year award following a remarkable season on the international athletics circuit.
Rumesh is among 10 athletes nominated by World Athletics for the prestigious men’s award. The winners will be announced at the World Athletics Awards in Monaco on November 29.
The Sri Lankan champion enjoyed an outstanding 2026 season, winning the javelin titles at the Ultimate Championship, Diamond League, Asian Games and Commonwealth Games.
He also set a world-leading national record of 92.62 metres and won 13 of his 14 competitions during the season.
World Athletics said the 10 nominees were selected by an eight-member panel of statisticians, comprising two representatives from World Athletics and one representative from each of the six continental area associations.
The final rankings will be decided through a four-way voting process, with each group contributing 25% of the overall vote. The voting groups include World Athletics fans, athletes who competed in World Athletics Series events during 2026, accredited media and content creators, and the wider World Athletics Family.
The six finalists, three in each category, will be announced on November 10 and 11. The finalists will then be invited to Monaco for the World Athletics Awards, where the men’s and women’s World Athlete of the Year winners will be announced on November 29.
Pathirage is the first Sri Lankan athlete to be nominated for the 2026 World Athlete of the Year honours, marking a significant milestone for Sri Lankan athletics.
