Javelins belonging to champion Rumesh Tharanga damaged during air travel

Sri Lankan track and field sensation Rumesh Tharanga, who recently clinched victory at the prestigious World Athletics Ultimate Championship, faced an unfortunate incident upon his arrival at Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) in Katunayake on Tuesday morning when his athletic equipment was found damaged.

Upon collecting his specialized baggage, Tharanga found that several of his custom-made, competition-grade javelins had sustained severe structural damage inside their transit cases during air transport. The high-performance javelins are calibrated specifically to international standards and are critical to his training and competitive schedule.

Sports officials and the athlete expressed disappointment over the negligence shown by the airline's ground handling services during transit. Representatives from Sri Lanka Athletics have stated that they will file an official grievance and seek appropriate compensation to replace the damaged equipment ahead of upcoming international competitions.