Lithuania’s Mykolas Alekna hit a discus arc of 74.35 meters on Sunday. At the same time, he passed his father in the all-time record.
Mykolas Alekna broke the discus world record on Sunday in Oklahoma, when the Lithuanian threw an arc of 74.35 meters.
The former world record was held by an East German Jürgen Schultin 74.08 thrown in 1986.
The result, valid for 38 years, was the longest ME in men’s athletics. Alekna was born only 16 years after Schult’s ME.
– It was a great throw. The conditions were really good and the crowd was great. I enjoyed the competition and one throw was really good, so I was able to break the world record, Alekna said For Sports Illustrated.
21-year-old Alekna threw a huge series on Sunday, as all her throws carried more than 70 meters.
In Oklahoma, there were tough results on the weekend. Cuba on Saturday Yaime Perez threw 73.09 meters, the longest mark for women in 35 years.
– I knew that the conditions would be good and that I would be able to throw that far, but I didn’t put any pressure on myself. I just enjoyed the moment and that’s how it happened, Alekna enthuses.
Alekna’s coach studying at the University of California Mo Saatara said that he knew that Alekna was capable of great achievements.
– He is technically extremely talented. I’m not surprised, but when you break the legendary record of one of the all-time throwers, Schult, you can’t ask for anything better, Saatara said.
Mykolas Alekna also surpassed his father’s record with his ME throw.
Alekna’s father Virgilius Aleknan his throw of 73.88 in 2000 is now the third longest throw of all time. Isä-Alekna is a two-time Olympic discus thrower and world champion.
Mykolas Alekna, who threw 71 meters at his best before this year, said that he communicated with his father after the race.
– He just said, good job. He is a man of short words, just like me, Mykolas Alekna said.
Aiming for the Paris Olympics, Mykolas Alekna won World Cup silver in the USA in 2022 and bronze in Hungary in 2023.