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☆ Rojé Stona: Meet an Olympic track and field champion with dreams of playing in the NFL
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-26 | by ( Martynas Ruseckas | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

His 70-meter effort broke the Olympic record set minutes prior by Lithuania’s Mykolas Alekna, a heavy favorite going into the Games. “I yanked it, it just dropped right out of 20 meters,” Stona recalled the first moment he picked up a discus. In Fayetteville, he met Ryan Crouser – a three-time Olympic gold medalist and an Olympic record holder in shot put – who joined the Razorbacks’ athletics staff in 2019 as a volunteer. But Stona had other plans: his fourth attempt on the night sailed 70 meters, breaking the Olympic record set minutes earlier and causing one of the biggest upsets of the Games. The gold medal in Paris gave Stona “some next level of confidence” to pick up where he left off.

Persons: Rojé Stona, Stona –, –, Lithuania’s Mykolas, I’ve, ”, I’ll, Stona, Usain Bolt, Aleksandra Szmigiel, “, ” Stona, Ryan Crouser –, Alekna, Virgilijus ’, Mykolas, ’, I’m, Yusuf Dikeç's, Christian Petersen, Yusuf Dikeç’s, Jude, Lance Zierlein, ’ ”, they’re, Stephen Lew, won’t, ‘, Stona “ Organizations: CNN, Paris Olympics, CNN Sport, Stade de France, Green Bay Packers, New, New Orleans Saints, NFL, Jamaica, Reuters, Clemson, Razorbacks, Olympics, Oklahoma, Games, Real Madrid, Packers, USA, Sports, Diamond League Locations: New Orleans, Beijing, Caribbean, Arkansas, Fayetteville, Paris, Lithuanian, Green Bay, States, Rome

For some, the pressure and expectations might forge diamonds – and Paris 2024 has no shortage of this type of athlete. Lithuanian discus thrower Mykolas Alekna is poised to carry on the legacy of his father, Virgilijus, who holds an Olympic record in the same discipline. His 69.89-meter throw in Athens 2004 guaranteed the then-32-year-old a second Olympic gold medal, having also won in Sydney 2000. It was a record the elder Alekna was chasing his entire career and got close only once: a personal record of 73.88 meters thrown just before the Sydney Games. “If you don’t change anything, you’ll be just like your father: without the world record,” Virgilijus said to Lithuanian news outlet Lrytas when asked what he said to his son a month prior to his record-breaking effort.

Persons: Bronny James, LeBron, Mykolas Alekna, Virgilijus, Jürgen, Alekna, you’ll, ” Virgilijus, Mykolas Organizations: Sydney, Sydney Games Locations: Paris, Lithuanian, Athens

☆ Mykolas Alekna: Son of a two-time Olympic champion, the Lithuanian will aim to carry on his father’s legacy
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-04 | by ( Martynas Ruseckas | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Lithuanian discus thrower Mykolas Alekna is poised to carry on the legacy of his father, Virgilijus, who holds an Olympic record in the same discipline. His 69.89-meter throw in Athens 2004 guaranteed the then-32-year-old a second Olympic gold medal, having also won in Sydney 2000. The world record followed in April 2024, when all his six throws – alongside his new all-time mark – were over the elite 70-meter mark. Deep-rooted traditionAlekna’s success in the discus throw is testament to Lithuania’s deep-rooted tradition in this field event – the Baltic state has been hugely successful with the discus in hand. Virgilijus Alekna’s victories on the global stage helped to popularize the sport, and now, finals of discus throw are among the most-watched Olympic events in Lithuania.

Persons: Bronny James, LeBron, Mykolas Alekna, Virgilijus, Jürgen, Alekna, you’ll, ” Virgilijus, Mykolas, –, Romas Ubartas, Ubartas, Martynas, Andrius Gudžius –, Lukas Weißhaidinger, Daniel Ståhl Organizations: CNN, Sydney, Sydney Games, University of California, Seoul Games, Soviet Union, Paris Games, League –, Lithuanian, European Athletics, Tokyo Games Locations: Paris, Lithuanian, Athens, Berkeley, Munich, Bavarian, Baltic, European, Soviet Union, Barcelona, Lithuania, Soviet, Rome, Slovenian, Sweden

☆ Lithuanian discus thrower Mykolas Alekna breaks longest standing men’s track and field world record
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-15 | by ( Martynas Ruseckas | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —Lithuanian discus thrower Mykolas Alekna broke a world record that had stood for four decades at the Oklahoma Throws Series World Invitational meeting in Ramona on Sunday. The Lithuanian’s throw of 74.35 meters surpassed Jurgen Schult’s effort in 1986, when the German threw 74.08m. Schult’s landmark effore had been the longest-standing record in track and field, according to Olympics.com. Virgilijus threw 69.89m in Athens 2004. The Lithuanian is a two-time world and Olympic champion.

Persons: Mykolas Alekna, Jurgen Schult’s, Alekna’s, “, ” Alekna, Ramona, Alekna, Virgilijus Organizations: CNN, Oklahoma, Sunday, World Athletics Locations: Lithuanian, Ramona, Lithuania, Athens

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