With stiff winds hampering the athletes, Pakistan's Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem, and Neeraj Chopra, India’s silver medallist from Paris 2024, each failed to pass 80 metres - though both still qualified for Friday’s final in the top 12.

“The feeling is good and I'm really happy to win the qualification round on the first throw,” Pathirage said.

“My confidence is good, and 2026 is my lucky year. Let's see what happens tomorrow and I will try for my personal best and a gold medal.”

Given nobody since Paris 2024 has thrown further than Pathirage's current best of 92.62m, landed at the Rome Diamond League last month, another record for the 23-year-old Sri Lankan in Glasgow would be extraordinary.

Especially if the conditions at the EDF Scotstoun Stadium on Friday evening are anything like Thursday morning's.

“Lots of throwers were struggling today,” Chopra said.

“It’s not only cold, but it's really windy and the wind was also not always in the front.

"It was sometimes from the side, and so it's really hard to process where we have to throw.”

Better chance

Following Thursday's qualifying, Chopra said his own gold medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, along with Nadeem’s triumph in Paris two years ago, had helped raise the sport's profile.

“Javelin is really popular in South Asia now,” the 28-year-old said.

“There are lots of Javelin throwers and a better chance that many good athletes will come.

“We have good facilities now, but when I started I didn't know about how we have to plan for Javelin training. But now because of the internet, you can know all about Javelin training.”

Nadeem (pictured), 29, the Commonwealth Games record holder and defending champion, acknowledged he was some way short of his best after throwing 78.63m.

“I didn't hit that percentage," he said. "I was just watching because the wind up ahead was really strong, so my only effort was to qualify.

“You know the weather in Pakistan. It's so hot that after one or two laps you're warmed up.

"To stay warm here, you need to keep running: small exercises to keep you going.”

Fast bowler

The sight of Pakistan, India and Sir Lanka contending for Athletics glory may surprise some sports fans more used to the almost religious ardour reserved for cricket in those nations.

Pathirage accepts track and field might never be as popular as cricket back home, but he has few regrets about switching his own focus in 2017.

“I was a fast bowler and one of the fastest - 134 kilometres (per hour),” he said.

“It’s very helpful in the Javelin, since in Javelin and cricket the throw is very much the same.”

Chopra was full of praise for the Sri Lanka prodigy now challenging the sport's elite.

“He's a good boy and a good friend of mine,” he said of Pathirage.

“This year, he is really throwing well. It's good that the javelin has grown in our neighbours - he did something great for Sri Lanka.”

Pathirage and Sri Lanka are hoping the best is yet to come.