Mykolas Alekna, discus throw world record after 38 years

Athletics, the Lithuanian Mykolas Alekna breaks the world record in the discus throw. The longest-standing record falls

The oldest world record in men's athletics, that of Juergen Schult's discus throw, has flown away after almost 38 years, more than a third of a century: that historic 74.08 now knows its well-deserved retirement. A gust of wind, combined with enormous technical skills, was enough to make Mykolas Alekna's two-kilogram 'lentil' fly 27 centimeters further than that mythical measurement. Twenty-one years old, from Kaunas, Lithuania, the young son of art – his father Virgilijus had come within twenty centimeters of Schult's record and now climbs to third place in the world ranking led by his son – on the platform of Ramona's 'Millican Field' in California he threw 74.35 meters.

The event was the Oklahoma Throws Series where the throwers found perfect wind conditions, especially because there are no stands that can hinder the action of the wind. Compared to the Schult years, these meetings organized to seek the record did not yet exist. Juergen Schult on the windy afternoon of June 6, 1986 – 16 years before Mykolas was born – at the 'Jahnstadion' in Neubrandenburg launched using the wind at 74.08. After throwing last April 6th at 71.39 meters, a measurement that placed him in tenth place in the all-time ranking, Mykolas opened the series of throws with 72.21 and then rose to 72.89 in third. After scoring 70.51 on the fourth attempt, the Lithuanian thrower returned to the platform and, as soon as he took off, followed the tool with his hand until it landed. The first measurement was 74.41 but was then corrected to 74.35: history is made. The young new world record holder's showcase includes last year's world championship bronze in Budapest and silver in Eugene 2022, but also the continental title in Munich 2022, the world and European under 20 gold in 2021 and the European one under 23 last year. Mykolas' father, Virgilijus was twice Olympic champion, in Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004 but also world champion (Paris 2003 and Helsinki 2005) and European champion (Goeteborg 2006) just as many times. Last competition in August 2014 at the European Championships in Zurich but he did not qualify for the final.

Only two days ago the Cuban Yaime Perez, also in Ramona, established the longest throw in the world in the women's discus since 1989 by throwing 73.09 meters. Now the oldest world record for men changes hands and becomes the 86.74 meters in the hammer of the Soviet Yurj Sedyk dated 30 August 1986. Again in throwing, Sedyk's widow, Natalja Lisovskaja, has been the record holder since 7 June 1987 in the shot put with 22.63 while Gabriele Reinsch, Schult's former national teammate, has held the discus since 9 July 1988 with 76.80, a measurement also obtained in Neubrandenburg. The 'myth' of world records in athletics remains that of the 800 metres, 1'53″28, by the then Czechoslovakian Jarmila Kratochvilova dated 26 July 1983 in Munich.

Schult to Agi: “I knew Alekna could beat me”

“I have had almost 38 years to prepare for this moment, for the day of improving my record and now it has happened. I said that Kristjan Ceh or Mykolas Alekna could beat my measurement and so it was”, Schult explains to AGI from Potsdam where he lives. Now the 63-year-old former German thrower – he has competed for both the GDR and united Germany – saw his historic 74.08, set on a windy afternoon on June 6, 1986 at the 'Jahnstadion' in Neubrandenburg, beaten by the Lithuanian athlete. “Compared to the past, there are now more races in open stadiums, i.e. without stands the wind can help establish certain measurements,” adds Schult. “Throwing 74 meters without the support of the wind is impossible: with light wind there can be an increase in measurement of one or two metres, with strong winds even up to five metres. The weather conditions and also the competition facility that Mykolas found in Ramona they were similar to the ones I found.”

Speaking about the 21-year-old discus thrower from Kaunas, Schult says: “I've seen him a few times but I don't know him, unlike his father Virgilijus with whom I competed, a nice man, a true sportsman who came within twenty centimeters of the first record.” Now the oldest world record for men becomes the 86.74 meters in the hammer of the Soviet Yurj Sedyk dated 30 August 1986. Again in the throw, Sedyk's widow, Natalja Lisovskaja, has been the holder of the record for the throw since 7 June 1987 weight with 22.63, while Gabriele Reinsch, Schult's former national teammate, has held that of the discus since 9 July 1988 with 76.80, a measurement also obtained in Neubrandenburg.