What do you inherit from a dad or mum who has tasted athletic success? The genes, definitely, in addition to the chance for early immersion in sport and the entry to top-level knowhow.
However together with these presents come curses, maybe probably the most difficult of that are the expectations of being the kid of an elite athlete. And when your father is a two-time Olympic and two-time World champion, each the presents and curses are multiplied manyfold.
Rising son: Mykolas desires to raised the achievements of his father Virgilijus Alekna (left), a two-time World and two-time Olympic champion. | Photograph credit score: Getty Photographs
Awe and certainty
So when 21-year-old Mykolas Alekna broke a world document within the discus throw that had stood since 1986, the preliminary awe started to slowly share area with the sensation that this was hardly sudden. In spite of everything, Mykolas’ father, Virgilijus, is one among discus’ all-time greats. He stood on the highest step of an Olympic podium in Sydney (2000) and Athens (2004). Alekna senior additionally received gold on the World Championships in Paris (2003) and Helsinki (2005).
Mykolas Alekna’s mammoth throw of 74.35 metres on the Oklahoma Throws Sequence competitors final weekend shattered the longest standing world document in males’s athletics. The earlier mark of 74.08 metres was set by German athlete Jurgen Schult on June 6, 1986. Alekna’s throw was initially measured at 74.41m however later revised. The document is topic to ratification.
Alekna’s document throw was his fifth try on the low-key occasion within the US Midwest devoted solely to throwing subject occasions and fashioned part of a sequence of six 70m-plus throws by the Lithuanian. Competing on a weekend that was blessed with excellent throwing circumstances, Alekna launched the discus and pointed at it because it flew by means of the air, understanding he had uncorked a particular one.
Along with breaking the world document, the throw bumped his father to 3rd on the all-time listing. Virgilijus Alekna recorded a better of 73.88m in 2000.
“It’s actually exhausting to know but,” the brand new world document holder instructed Lithuanian public media outlet LRT.lt. “It was an excellent competitors with all of the circumstances for a world document — sturdy winds, heat climate. I managed to make a technical throw. I’m nonetheless in a little bit of shock, I’m very blissful. After all, the world document just isn’t my objective — the Olympic gold is the objective for the season.”
In an interview with Sports activities Illustrated, Alekna mentioned he texted his father and the response was typical. “He simply mentioned good job. A person of few phrases, identical to me.”
Early mastery
Presently a junior on the College of California, Alekna is already a two-time medallist on the World Championships. He captured silver on the 2022 Worlds in Oregon and a bronze final summer time in Budapest. He’s additionally a European champion, successful gold at Munich in 2022, and a World Below-20 champion, claiming the distinguished junior title in Nairobi in 2021.
Discus athletes are likely to peak later — for Alekna to be so profitable at 21 is outstanding. His early mastery is all of the extra exceptional when you think about that he didn’t begin till he was 16 when he determined to hitch his older brother, Martynas, additionally a discus thrower, at a neighborhood sports activities membership.
“Earlier than that I used to do soccer, I used to do excessive bounce,” Alekna instructed World Athletics. “I used to be a striker. I used to be fairly good once I was younger. However I grew lots, my ft received larger. I used to be slower and that’s once I transitioned to discus. I used to be fairly late, I suppose. My mother and father solely needed me to do sports activities. It didn’t matter what sports activities, simply to do one thing. I’ve at all times had an curiosity in discus throw, so I used to be capable of tame this sport shortly.”
Alekna has lengthy arms, large shoulders, and may be very versatile, which is ideal for the discus. Though 6’5” tall, the lean Alekna just isn’t one of many larger males within the self-discipline. His father is 6’7” and weighed 130 kg in his prime. Olympic champion Daniel Stahl is 6’7” as properly and weighs 155 kg, whereas World champion Kristjan Ceh stands at a towering 6’9”!
“I wouldn’t say I’m sturdy,” he instructed Monitor and Discipline Information. “I imply, particularly skilled discus throwers are approach stronger than I’m. I don’t deal with the weightroom that a lot as a result of I believe that discus method is far more vital than lifting. No less than it really works for me.”
One other factor that works for Alekna is the unparalleled expertise of his father. “I used to be capable of study from his errors and never my very own. That is what led to the speedy bounce of the outcomes, as a result of I didn’t need to make my very own errors,” he mentioned.
A transfer that paid off
Certainly, his choice to go away Lithuania and research within the USA was knowledgeable by his father’s expertise. “My dad did a number of coaching camps right here and he actually favored it,” mentioned Alekna. “He mentioned that the coaching circumstances and services within the US are approach higher than in Lithuania, and I may get training right here. He at all times needed me to come back right here and I needed to come back right here as properly.”
Each father and son explored a spread of choices earlier than selecting the College of California — the coaching methodology was just like the one Alekna adopted in Lithuania. The transfer has paid off spectacularly, with the 21-year-old now eyeing a medal on the 2024 Paris Olympics.
“I’m hungry and I would like these medals,” mentioned Alekna. “They may by no means be sufficient, particularly once I’ve felt that style. That starvation doesn’t go away and solely grows. If I handle to keep away from accidents and practice as exhausting as I do, there will probably be much more titles sooner or later. I wish to be steady in an important competitions as it’s consistency that brings medals.”
Battling giants: Alekna is decided to win the most important titles, however with the likes of World champion Kristjan Ceh (left) and Olympic champion Daniel Stahl (centre) acting at a excessive stage, the lads’s discus is among the hardest observe and subject occasions to medal in. | Photograph credit score: Getty Photographs
It received’t come simple, for the competitors is tight. With Stahl, Ceh, bettering Samoan Alex Rose and Olympic, World and European bronze medallist Lukas Weisshaidinger acting at a excessive stage, the lads’s discus is among the hardest observe and subject occasions to medal in.
However Alekna has a champion’s obsessive depth — he says the one time his head isn’t stuffed with discus ideas is when he goes fishing. In addition to, he has the benefit of chasing a unprecedented benchmark; even when he comes up quick, he can have been very profitable.
“My father is my large idol,” mentioned Alekna. “He has proven by his instance that regular work brings outcomes. He at all times taught me that when you begin one thing, you can not cease. He’s legendary, I wish to be like him at some point. Perhaps even be higher than him? We’ll see what occurs.”