World No. 1 Rumesh Pathirage Names Thomas Röhler as His Javelin Role Model AI-generated athletics illustration. No identifiable athlete, national flag or official team insignia is depicted. Sri Lanka’s world No. 1 javelin thrower, Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage, has named German Olympic champion Thomas Röhler as his role model in the sport. In a social media post, Pathirage wrote: “Thomas Röhler is my role model in javelin throw.” The brief statement carries particular significance at a time when Pathirage has established himself as one of the leading names in world athletics. His progress has placed Sri Lanka firmly on the international javelin map and given young athletes at home and across the diaspora a powerful example of what sustained ambition can achieve. A role model at the highest level Thomas Röhler is one of Germany’s leading javelin throwers. He won the men’s javelin gold medal at the 2016 Olympic Games in ...