Lithuanian discus thrower Mikolas Alekna made history by breaking a world record that had stood for four decades at the Oklahoma Throwing World Series Invitational in Ramona. His throw of 74.35 meters surpassed Jürgen Schult's record of 74.08 meters set in 1986. Schult's record is considered the longest running record in track and field according to Olympics.com. World Athletics initially measured Alekna's throw at 74.41m, but it was later revised pending ratification.
Alekna expressed disbelief at his achievement, saying: “It's hard to understand what I just did… I saw the throws and I knew it could be the day, and it just happened.” Ahead of the event, Alekna already boasted the longest throw in season and moved to 10th on the all-time world list with a previous personal best of 71.39 meters on April 6. All six of his attempts on Sunday exceeded the 70-meter mark.
Born in Lithuania on September 28, 2002, Alekna is already one of the leading athletes in his sport. He moved to train in the USA in 2021 and at only 20 years old became the youngest athlete to throw over 70 meters. In addition, he is a two-time World Championship medalist and European Champion in 2022.
Alekna's success is perhaps not so surprising given his background – his father, Virgilius, is also a top discus thrower and Olympic record holder in the same event. Virgilius is a two-time world and Olympic champion, further cementing the Alekna family's legacy in sports.