New Delhi, Sept. 29 -- The newest star is Rumesh Pathirage of Sri Lanka, who won the event Monday at the Asian Games under a light drizzle with a throw of 88.55 meters. Yashvir Singh of India took silver (85.14) with bronze for fellow Indian Rohit Yadav (84.35).

Defending Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem of Pakistan was fourth (80.29).

Pathirage credited some of his success in the javelin to being a cricket fast bowler in his youth, which requires an overhead arm movement similar to throwing the javelin.

"That's the bowling action, same like in the javelin throw," Pathirage said. "Cricket is the help for me and the career."

Of course, cricket is the dominant sport in all of South Asia, which might explain the recent success from athlete...