RAMONA, OKLAHOMA, April 12-13 — A day after Yaimé Pérez threw the longest women’s discus mark on the planet in 35 years, 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 left on the books.
The effort came on the young Lithuanian’s fifth attempt on a day that the winds were howling. (The max reading at Tulsa International Airport, 28 miles down the road, hit 26mph/11.6mps.) The Oklahoma Throws Series World Invitational, the brainchild of coach Caleb Seal, had WA Bronze 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 ’00, his AOY year. He closed with a toss of 231-3 (70.50).
“It was really great conditions,” he told throws maven 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 a PR 226-6 (69.05). The top American in the international field was Andrew Evans in 6th at 221-1 (67.40).
The day before, ’19 world women’s champion Pérez, 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 hit 236-1 (71.96) before her round 3 PR — technically a Cuban Record. She closed with a 226-9 (69.13), 234-7 (71.50) and another foul. In 2nd, Veronica Fraley moved to No. 7 among Americans with her 220-4 (67.17).
While the discus obviously took center stage, the event hosted all of the disciplines. For the men, Daniel Haugh won the hammer at 259-3 (79.03), Mexico’s Uziel Muñoz took the shot at 69-6¾ (21.20), and Denmark’s Arthur Wiborg Petersen won the javelin at 252-2 (76.86).
On the women’s side, KeAyla Dove took the shot at 60-5¼ (18.42), Erin Reese the hammer at 228-3 (69.59) and Japan’s Sae Takemoto the javelin at 184-1 (56.10).
OKLAHOMA THROWS MEN’S RESULTS
SP: 1. Uziel Muñoz’ (Mex) 69-6¾ (21.20); 2. T’Mond Johnson (unat) 65-9 (20.04); 3. Daniel McArthur (unat) 64-5 (19.63); 4. Nik Curtiss (unat) 63-7½ (19.39); 5. Patrick Larrison (unat) 62-10 (19.15).
DT(strong right-quarter wind): 1. Mykolas Alekna’ (Lit) 243-11 (74.35) WR (old WR 243-0/74.08 Jürgen Schult [EG] ’86) (U.S. All-Comers Record—old, 234-2/71.39 Alekna ’24)
(236-11 [4, 6 W], 230-8, 239-1 [4, 4 W], 231-4, 243-11, 231-3) (72.21, 70.32, 72.89, 70.51, 74.35, 70.50—avg. 235-7/71.80);
2. Roje Stona’ (Jam) 226-6 (69.05) PR (226-6, f, 214-9, 214-4, 223-3, 222-8) (69.05, f, 65.46, 65.34, 68.05, 67.88); 3. Mika Sosna (Ger) 226-3 (68.96) PR (226-3, 214-7, 208-10, 210-1, 208-3, 202-0) (68.96, 65.41, 63.66, 64.04, 63.48, 61.59); 4. Alex Rose (Sam) 223-9 (68.20) (221-4, 219-4, 223-9, 222-10, 222-4, 205-1) (67.47, 66.86, 68.20, 67.93, 67.77, 62.51); 5. Connor Bell (NZ) 223-5 (68.10) NR; 6. Andrew Evans (unat) 221-1 (67.40) (213-5, 202-11, 221-1, 215-2, 207-6, f) (65.04, 61.84, 67.40, 65.59, 63.26, f);
7. Dallin Shurts (BYU) 218-5 (66.58) PR (=8, x C; =2, x AmC) (203-0, 218-5, 199-7, 208-7, 210-5, 214-0) (61.89, 66.58, 60.84, 63.59, 64.14, 65.24);
8. Turner Washington (unat) 217-7 (66.32) PR (217-4, 212-5, 208-0, f, 217-7, 209-4) (66.25, 64.75, 63.41, f, 66.32, 63.80); 9. Nicholas Percy’ (GB) 214-5 (65.37); 10. Ralford Mullings’ (Jam) 214-2 (65.29); 11. Chad Wright’ (Jam) 213-3 (65.00); 12. Joseph Brown (unat) 211-10 (64.57); 13. Gudni Valur Guðnason’ (Ice) 209-9 (63.95); 14. Jordan Roach (unat) 208-11 (63.69) PR; 15. Reggie Jagers (unat) 207-9 (63.33).
(best-ever mark-for-place: 1, 5-16 and likely deeper)
HT: 1. Daniel Haugh (NYACT1D) 259-3 (79.03) (241-2, 248-2, 259-3, f, f, 254-0) (73.51, 75.64, 79.03, f, f, 77.43); 2. Denzel Comenentia’ (Neth) 255-0 (77.73); 3. Tyler Williams (unat) 244-6 (74.53); 4. Brock Eager (unat) 243-5 (74.19).
JT: 1. Arthur Wiborg Petersen’ (Den) 252-2 (76.86); 2. Sindri Hrafn Gudmundsson’ (Ice) 249-4 (76.01); 3. Curtis Thompson (unat) 242-7 (73.94); 4. Capers Williamson (unat) 240-1 (73.18); 5. Tim Glover (unat) 238-11 (72.82); 6. Brett Thompson (unat) 237-9 (72.46); 7. Ethan Shalaway (unat) 228-11 (69.79); 8. Michael Shuey (unat) 227-11 (69.48).
OKLAHOMA THROWS WOMEN’S RESULTS
SP: 1. KeAyla Dove (unat) 60-5¼ (18.42); 2. Abby Moore (unat) 56-2¾ (17.14); 3. Erna Sóley Gunnarsdóttir’ (Ice) 56-1 (17.09); 4. Rachel Fatherly (unat) 56-1 (17.09).
DT: 1. Yaimé Pérez’ (Cub) 239-9 (73.09) NR (WL) (10, x W; farthest in world since ’89; U.S. All-Comers record, old record 234-5/71.46 Valarie Allman [Asics] ’22) (f, 236-1, 239-9, 226-9, 234-7, f) (f, 71.96, 73.09, 69.13, 71.50, f) (in process of applying for U.S. citizenship);
2. Veronica Fraley (unat) 220-4 (67.17) PR (7, x A) (210-3, 214-11, 209-2, 196-8, 220-4, 213-4) (64.09, 65.50, 63.75, 59.94, 67.17, 65.03);
3. Ieva Gumbs’ (Lit) 213-2 (64.98) PR; 4. Alexandra Emilianov’ (Mol) 211-4 (64.42) NR; 5. Gabi Jacobs (unat) 208-4 (63.51) PR; 6. Pamela Amaechi’ (Ngr) 206-5 (62.92) PR; 7. Jade Lally’ (GB) 202-7 (61.75); 8. Ashley Petr (unat) 196-11 (60.03) PR; 9. Essence Henderson (unat) 196-5 (59.86) PR.
HT: 1. Erin Reese (unat) 228-3 (69.59); 2. Stamatía Skarvélis’ (Gre) 224-1 (68.31); 3. Nayoka Clunis’ (Jam) 220-3 (67.14); 4. Sade Olatoye’ (Ngr) 218-0 (66.45); 5. Mari Shavers (unat) 214-6 (65.39); 6. Giavonna Meeks (unat) 212-8 (64.82) PR; 7. Kali Terza (unat) 209-6 (63.86).
JT: 1. Sae Takemoto’ (Jpn) 184-1 (56.10); 2. Maddie Harris (unat) 181-9 (55.41); 3. Valentina María Barrios’ (Col) 174-5 (53.17); 4. Katelyn Fairchild (unat) 171-10 (52.37); 5. Madison Wiltrout (unat) 171-10 (52.37); 6. Ariana Ince (unat) 167-7 (51.08);… 8. Sarah Blake (unat) 161-4 (49.18); 9. Rebekah Wales (unat) 160-11 (49.05).
