BERKELEY – After appearing on every watch list this season for The Bowerman, collegiate track & field's highest honor, California sophomore Mykolas Alekna is one of 10 names in this year's semifinalist group, which was unveiled Thursday. to become the first Cal man and just the second Cal athlete ever to do so.
 
Alekna, who owns the collegiate record in the men's discus, is the first Cal man and just the second Cal athlete ever to be named a semifinalist twice for The Bowerman. He is one of three two-time semifinalists on this year's list, sharing that distinction with Kyle Garland of Georgia and Sondre Guttormsen of Princeton. Alekna became the first Cal man ever to make the watch list last season after his standout freshman campaign, when he broke the collegiate record for the first time.
 
The native of Vilnius, Lithuania, finished third in the discus this year at the NCAA Outdoor Championships to earn his second straight First Team All-American honor, following a season in which he also earned a second straight Pac-12 title and improved his all-time collegiate record to 71.00m (232-11). That mark stands as an official European (and unofficial World) U23 record; Alekna, 20, is the youngest man to ever surpass the 70-meter barrier. He was twice named the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Men's Athlete of the Week in addition to his three Pac-12 Men's Field Athlete of the Week honors, while also setting four new meet records and a facility record. Alekna currently ranks third in this year's world discus standings.
 
The three men's finalists for The Bowerman will be announced on Tuesday, June 27.
 
The Bowerman 2023 Men's Semifinalists
Mykolas Alekna, California (Discus)
Kyle Garland, Georgia (Combined Events)
Jordan Geist, Arizona (Throws)
Sondre Guttormsen, Princeton (Pole Vault)
Jaydon Hibbert, Arkansas (Triple Jump)
Courtney Lindsey, Texas Tech (Sprints)
Carey McLeod, Arkansas (Jumps)
Leo Neugebauer, Texas (Jumps
Ky Robinson, Stanford (Distance)
Kenneth Rooks, BYU (Distance)
 
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