RAMONA, OKLAHOMA, April 12––13 — A day after Yaimé Pérez threw the longest women’s discus mark on the planet in 35 years, Lithuanian Mykolas Alekna saw what he could do in the big Oklahoma wind, whirling the platter to a World Record 243-11 (74.35) to take down the oldest major men’s record on the books.
The effort came on Alekna’s fifth attempt, on a day that the winds were howling. (The max wind recorded at Tulsa International Airport, 28 miles down the road, hit 26mph.) The Oklahoma Throws Series World Invitational, the brainchild of coach Caleb Seal, had WA bronze level status and offered $30,000 in prize money.
The 21-year-old, redshirting this season at Cal to focus on the Olympics, started off with a 236-11 (72.21) to move to No. 4 in history. He followed with a 230-8 (70.32) and a 239-1 (72.89) to tighten his hold on No. 4. A fourth throw landed at 231-4 (70.51) before his big one broke the old WR of 243-0 (74.08) set by East Germany’s Jürgen Schult in ’86. Alekna also took down the family record, the 242-5 (73.88) lofted by father Virgilijus in 2000. He closed with a toss of 231-3 (70.50).
“It was really great conditions,” he told Daniel McQuaid. “I’ve never thrown in conditions like this. It was just amazing. Great wind, great sector, and a lot of people came out to support and cheer, so it was amazing… I’m so happy.”
He explained he had some trouble with tightness during the competition. “You want to throw relaxed, and then you’re too hyped up. It’s hard to throw relaxed. But as far as that throw, I did a really good throw. I was happy with it.”
Alekna’s record easily topped runner-up Roje Stona of Jamaica, who threw 226-6 (69.05). The top American in the international field was Andrew Evans in 6th at 221-1 (67.40).
The day before, Pérez, the ’19 world champion who has defected from Cuba, flung her disc 239-9 (73.09) to move to No. 10 in history. It’s also the farthest ever on U.S. soil, topping a Valarie Allman mark by more than 5 feet. Pérez now has permanent U.S. residency and is reportedly pursuing citizenship and hoping that international recognition of her switch might be expedited. She said the throw was especially meaningful as she hasn’t seen her mother in two years and it came on her mother’s birthday.
After an opening foul, Pérez’…
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