Lithuanian discus thrower Mykolas Alekna (© Getty Images)
Lithuania’s Mykolas Alekna broke the longest standing men's world record, throwing an incredible 74.35m* to smash the discus mark at the Oklahoma Throws Series World Invitational, a World Athletics Continental Tour Bronze meeting, in Ramona on Sunday (14).
That throw improves the world record of 74.08m set by Jurgen Schult in 1986 – 16 years before Alekna was born – and it formed part of a series of six 70m-plus throws by the 21-year-old.
Competing on a weekend when discus throwers were blessed with perfect conditions, Alekna showed he meant business from the start, opening with 72.21m. That improved on the 71.39m PB that had moved him up to No.10 on the world all-time list on 6 April, but still he looked frustrated.
The two-time world medallist followed that with 70.32m in the gusty conditions, but seemed much happier with his third-round attempt. It measured at 72.89m – a mark that strengthened his place at fourth all time.
Despite that huge performance, Alekna maintained his composure to throw 70.51m in round four and the best was yet to come.
Returning to the throwing circle for the fifth time, he launched the implement and pointed at it as it flew through the air. It landed at 74.35m – initially measured as 74.41m but later revised – and Alekna made history, going on to complete his series with 70.50m from his final attempt.
The Alekna family now has two of the three best men’s discus throwers in history, with two-time Olympic champion Virgilijus Alekna – the father of Mykolas – now placed third on the world all-time list with his 73.88m from 2000.
Mykolas Alekna’s performance came the day after Cuba’s Yaime Perez threw 73.09m in Ramona for the longest women’s discus throw in the world since 1989.
*Subject to the usual ratification procedure
