Reigning world and European U20 champion Mykolas Alekna launched another huge throw at the Lithuanian Championships in Siauliai on Saturday (25).
Still only 19, the precocious Alekna improved to 69.00m in the third round of the discus, the longest ever throw achieved by a teenager, to take the scalp of reigning European champion Andrius Gudzius who threw 65.21m.
This is Alekna’s first full season throwing with the senior implement and the California-based thrower, whose father Virgilijus won two Olympic titles in the discipline, has already improved from 63.52m to 69.00m this year.
With the World Athletics Championships and European Athletics Championships approaching in the next two months, Alekna is fifth on the 2022 world list behind Daniel Stahl (71.47m), Kristjan Ceh (71.27m), Gudzius (69.39m) and Lukas Weisshaidinger (69.11m) and in the medal discussion for both championships.
Does Mykolas think he can join his father Virgilijus, who holds the national record at 73.88m, in the 70 metre-plus club before the end of the season. "I'm not a fortune teller, the future will show what will happen," said Alekna.
However, the longest throw of the day in the discus was set by Kristjan Ceh at the Slovenian Championships in Velenje.
The two-time European U23 champion and European U23 record-holder at 70.55m - a mark that Alekna has until the end of 2024 to challenge - just missed the 70 metre-barrier by nine centimetres with 69.91m
"I've had a lot of matches in a row lately, there wasn't enough training and therefore not the right feeling, but sometimes a good throw is lucky and the discus goes very far," said Ceh modestly.