On June 6, 1986, an athlete from East Germany would establish a world record that was so absurdly high that it exceeded the global average by more than three percent.
On this particular day, East German discus thrower Jurgen Schult achieved a remarkable record improvement of 74.8 meters in the men's division. Normally, record improvements range from 0.3 to 0.5%. With a throw that truly took the world by storm, Schult won the Olympic championship in 1988 and the World Championship gold in 1987 with a throw that set a new world record of 68.74 meters.
Although nobody knew it at the time, Schultz's adventure with the discus was truly legendary, and this world record was destined to become one of the most enduring in track and field history.
No one else in history was able to surpass the 74-meter barrier throughout the more than three-decade period that it occupied at the top of the record books for well over 35 years.
It became evident as the 1990s and 2000s went on that 74 meters was actually a practically impossible distance. In truth, only eight athletes have ever been able to throw beyond 70 meters, with only three beyond 71 meters, if we look at the years 2016 until the present.
Even still, Schult had a lead of more than two meters over the next competitor to compete after the Rio Olympics, and it appeared that the 74 M barrier would remain untouched for at least another decade.
This appeared to happen suddenly with what can only be called a legendary throw in the men's discussion. Mykolas Alekna of Lithuania recently accomplished the Impossible with a stunning fifth-round performance.
Alekna broke a 38-year-old world record in the men's discus, setting a new mark with this throw that measured 74.35 meters.
Though this was a shocking world record, what may be even more impressive is the fact that Alekna broke the 70-meter barrier with every throw in the six-round series. Watching Alekna throw is truly poetry in motion.
His tall stature and smooth form allow him to reach incredible speeds when throwing the discus. Alekna is 21 years old and is capable of reaching distances that really amaze me.
What's crazy is that this world record might be the beginning because in 2022, at the age of 19, he actually won the silver medal at the world championships. The following year, in 2023, he won the bronze medal.
Now that the Olympic Games are almost here and a new world record has just been set, is it possible for this 21-year-old to win the gold medal? The discus's practically impossible visibility during its entire journey is now the only drawback to this record; it would have been incredible to witness the discus as it passed through the stratosphere.
Alekna's season in 2024 should provide us with the chance to witness him participate in Diamond League events and other competitions with sufficient camera operations. Despite this camera problem, Alekna's performance stunned the world.
I believe it is reasonable to expect him to smash the potential Olympic record in the men's discus, which is currently held by Mykola's father, who also happened to throw the discus 69.8 meters back in the 2004 Olympic Games.
Imagine how fitting it would be if the current Olympic record holder's son broke the record—and I firmly think that this is possible.
It's also critical to keep in mind that he will face extremely tough competition from athletes with extensive experience competing on the biggest stages in the world, like Daniel Stall and Christian. Alekna's record may fall, and with his father serving as his coach, there is even greater chance that it will fall come Paris Olympics.
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