TO BE FAIR, although it’s often tagged as “the island of sprinters,” Jamaica has been producing world-class heavy throwers for around two decades.
Nevertheless, Roje Stona’s discus win came flying out of left field.
In what was supposed to be an all-European affair with Australia’s Matt Denny perhaps getting a peek at the medals, Stona’s 4th-round Olympic Record and PR of 229-8 (70.00) changed the course of the event and, undoubtedly, his career.
The erstwhile big guns, including WR-holder Mykolas Alekna, who have become super-familiar with each other on the international circuit, had to go for broke with their last three throws to try to overtake a thrower who had never even competed in a Diamond League meeting.
It didn’t happen and Stona became one of the most surprising winners at a Games that has already had its fair share of track & field upsets.
It also brought a smile to the huge contingent of Jamaican fans in the Stade de France after the travails of their sprinters earlier in the week. Stona got their country’s first gold medal of these Games.
The competition was one for the ages from the outset.
Alekna — looking to follow in the footsteps of his famous father Virgilijus, who took gold at the ’00 and ’04 Games, quickly took the lead with his opening effort of 224-11 (68.55).
Slovenia’s ’22 world champion/’24 Euro titlist Kristjan Čeh threw 224-5 (68.41) early in the second round to put the pressure on.
Denny then reached 227-4 (69.31) with his second effort to take the lead — only for the Lithuanian to respond five throws later with 229-6 (69.97) to improve his father’s OR of 229-3 (69.89) which had been on the books since Athens04.
There were no changes in the medal positions in the third round. However, two throwers into the fourth, Stona stepped into the ring. The Arkansas alum had set his previous PR of 226-6 (69.05) placing 2nd to Alekna at the blustery Ramona meet in April where the Lithuanian set his World Record of 243-11 (74.35). Here under very dissimilar wind conditions Stona unleashed what was to be his winning throw to move up from 7th and into the lead.
The competition was still far from over with most of the field who made the cut having three more throws. Alekna hit fourth- and fifth-round marks of 226-0 (68.88) and 224-8 (68.49) while Denny threw 226-10 (69.15) with his penultimate effort. But Stona prevailed for gold.
“It’s a very special night,” said the ’23 NCAA runner-up. “It’s everything I wanted, but for it to actually happen, it’s a very good feeling.
“In practice, leading up to the competition I felt great, so I believed in myself, and I know that I had it in me. [I] just went and released it, no pressure, I was already in the top 8, so I had nothing to lose.
“Jamaica’s been doing well in the discus. We have a lot more talent, some Juniors coming up. I’m just glad I was able to create history.”
Besides the Jamaican nation, one with cause to celebrate was Ryan Crouser, Stona’s training partner and de facto coach this season. Do not forget that prior to Crouser’s 3-golds Olympic tear in the shot, he set the U.S. High School Record in the discus 15 years ago.
Further down the field, Denny’s 224-4 was the best ever mark for 3rd at any meet and the distances for all 12 places in the final were the best in an Olympic discus.
Likewise, the marks for 6th–9th were the best ever and included Sweden’s Tokyo Olympic champion and reigning world champion Daniel Ståhl, who was 7th with 219-8 (66.95).
U.S. interest in the event ended in the Q round with none of the American trio progressing.
Tokyo 8th-placer Sam Mattis threw 205-7 (62.66) with his only valid throw but was 9 inches shy of making his second OG final.
MEN’S DISCUS RESULTS
FINAL (August 07)
(temperature 73F/23C; humidity 41%)
1. Roje Stona (Jam) 229-8 (70.00) (OR)
(202-3, 213-11, 217-1, 229-8, f, f) (61.66, 65.20, 66.16, 70.00, f, f);
2. Mykolas Alekna (Lit) 229-6 (69.97)
(224-11, 229-6 [OR], f, 226-0, 224-8, f) (68.55, 69.97, f, 68.88, 68.49, f);
3. Matt Denny (Aus) 227-4 (69.31)
(219-5, 227-4, 224-4, f, 226-10, 218-0) (66.89, 69.31, 68.39, f, 69.15, 66.44);
4. Kristjan Čeh (Slo) 224-5 (68.41)
(220-8, 224-5, f, 217-8, 217-8, f) (67.27, 68.41, f, 66.36, 66.34, f);
5. Lukas Weißhaidinger (Aut) 221-7 (67.54) (196-11, 221-7, 211-8, f, 211-4, f) (60.02, 67.54, 64.52, f, 64.43, f);
6. Clemens Prüfer (Ger) 221-2 (67.41)
(215-10, 215-2, 215-6, 221-2, f, f) (65.79, 65.58, 65.68, 67.41, f, f);
7. Daniel Ståhl (Swe) 219-8 (66.95)
(213-2, 219-8, 210-2, 216-6, f, f) (64.97, 66.95, 64.06, 66.00, f, f);
8. Andrius Gudžius (Lit) 218-4 (66.55)
(218-0, 213-4, f, f, f, 218-4) (66.45, 65.02, f, f, f, 66.55);
9. Ralford Mullings (Jam) 215-3 (65.61)
(215-3, f, f) (65.61, f, f);
10. Traves Smikle (Jam) 213-2 (64.97)
(209-2, 210-4, 213-2) (63.77, 64.11, 64.97);
11. Alin Alexandru Firfirica (Rom) 211-5 (64.45)
(211-5, 206-8, 206-2) (64.45, 63.00, 62.84);
12. Alex Rose (AmS) 203-0 (61.89)
(197-1, 203-0, f) (60.07, 61.89, f).
(best-ever mark-for-place: 3, 6–9)
| * = progression of the leading throw; ¶ = athlete’s best of the day | |||
| first 3 rounds | |||
| Stona | 61.66* | 65.20 | 66.16 |
| Čeh | 67.27* | 68.41¶ | f |
| Smikle | 63.77 | 64.11 | 64.97¶ |
| Ståhl | 64.97 | 66.95¶ | 64.06 |
| Denny | 66.89 | 69.31*¶ | 68.39 |
| Mullings | 65.61¶ | f | f |
| Gudžius | 66.45 | 65.02 | f |
| Prüfer | 65.79 | 65.58 | 65.68 |
| Rose | 60.07 | 61.89¶ | f |
| Alekna | 68.55* | 69.97*¶ | f |
| Weißhaidinger | 60.02 | 67.54¶ | 64.52 |
| Firfirica | 64.45¶ | 63.00 | 62.84 |
| rounds 4 & 5 | |||
| Prüfer | 67.41¶ | f | |
| Stona | 70.00*¶ | f | |
| Gudžius | f | f | |
| Ståhl | 66.00 | f | |
| Weißhaidinger | f | 64.43 | |
| Čeh | 66.36 | 66.34 | |
| Denny | f | 69.15 | |
| Alekna | 68.88 | 68.49 | |
| last round | |||
| Gudžius | 66.55¶ | ||
| Ståhl | f | ||
| Prüfer | f | ||
| Weißhaidinger | f | ||
| Čeh | f | ||
| Denny | 66.44 | ||
| Alekna | f | ||
| Stona | f | ||
QUALIFYING (August 05; auto-qualifier 216-6/66.00)
Qualifiers: Alekna 221-4 (67.47), Denny 219-3 (66.83), Weißhaidinger 218-11 (66.72), Prüfer 217-8 (66.36), Smikle 216-3 (65.91), Stona 214-4 (65.32), Mullings 213-10 (65.18), Ståhl 213-9 (65.16), Čeh 212-7 (64.80), Gudžius 210-2 (64.07), Firfirica 208-10 (63.66), Rose & Bell 206-3 (62.88);
Non-qualifiers: Sam Mattis (US) 205-7 (62.66), Philip Milanov (Bel) 204-10 (62.44), Martin Marković (Cro) 204-5 (62.31), Andrew Evans (US) 204-2 (62.25), Mauricio Ortega (Col) 203-3 (61.97), Lolassonn Djouhan (Fra) 203-2 (61.93), Nick Percy (GB) & Mika Sosna (Ger) 202-9 (61.81), Joseph Brown (US) 202-4 (61.68), Francois Prinsloo (SA) 201-3 (61.35), Lawrence Okoye (GB) 200-8 (61.17), Juan José Caicedo (Ecu) 200-1 (60.99), Mario A. Díaz (Cub) 199-10 (60.92), Victor Hogan (SA) 199-5 (60.78), Martynas Alekna (Lit) 192-5 (58.66), Tom Reux (Fra) 191-0 (58.22);… 3f—Claudio Romero (Chl), Oussama Khennoussi (Alg), Henrik Janssen (Ger).