BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA, April 29 — With a mighty barrier-busting discus throw at the 128th Cal–Stanford Big Meet, Mykolas Alekna raised his own Collegiate Record to 232-11 (71.00).
It was easily the standout performance as coach Robyne Johnson’s Cal men team rolled over Stanford 99–64 and the woman made it a sweep with an 87–76 win.
The Lithuanian soph’s ace round 3 heave raised the CR by 7-5 (2.27m). Previously the World Champs silver medalist owned a 225-6 (68.73) best, set at the ’22 Pac-12 Champs. He eclipsed that mark — longest-ever by a 19-year-old, though not a World Junior (U20) record since Alekna turned 20 last September — surpassing significant barriers.
Needless to say, the figures 230-0 and 70 meters connote symbolic and physical gravitas.
“To be honest, I didn’t expect to throw it that far,” said Alekna, whose assessments tend toward calm and analytical. “It was a good meet, very good conditions, good energy. A lot of people came to support us so it was a very good meet. And yeah, I’m happy to throw that far.”
Just 17 men of all ages have thrown farther — and only 6 in the 2000s. The mark carried Alekna to within 11 inches (27cm) of world champion Kristjan Čeh’s PR. The Cal psychology major hit the first big throw of his series, 220-7 (67.25), on his second, intentionally fouled his fourth and reached 217-2 (66.21) in frame 5.
The only relevant record Alekna did not knock down was the Edwards Stadium best. That still belongs to the late Ben Plucknett, who reached 233-5 (71.14) before 10,000 spectators here at the Kinney Invitational of ’83.
The air Alekna threw into on a sunny afternoon was remarkably calm, not a given on the east shore of San Francisco Bay. Alekna’s was no “big wind” carnival trick.
“Conditions were very good, I would say,” Alekna remarked. “The wind wasn’t strong, but it was warm [temperatures hovered in the low-to-mid 60s, never as high as 20C], so I liked it. Yeah, it was good”
Alekna added, “I think it was a very good technical throw. I was trying to do what I was working on. So coach [Mo Saatara] helped me to throw far. He gave me advice and technique and everything. So it was good team work.”
Saatara also coaches Bear senior Anna Purchase, the collegiate list leader, favorite to succeed Cal alum Camryn Rogers as NCAA hammer…
CLICK HERE to Read the Full Original Article at Track & Field News…