ROME – Four athletes with connections to California track & field kicked off competition at the European Athletics Championships on Friday at Rome's Stadio Olimpico, with each distinguishing themselves in some way to further embellish their already decorated careers.
 
Lithuanian native Mykolas Alekna, who was looking to defend his 2022 discus title, was the only man in either flight to hit the automatic qualifying standard of 66.00m (216-6) in the morning's first round, doing so with a mark of 67.50m (221-5) on his first attempt for the second-longest qualifying throw in European Championships history. In the evening's final, however, he fared less well, fouling four times and posting a best throw of 67.48m (221-4) to take bronze behind champion Kristjan Čeh (Slovenia, 68.08m/223-4) and silver medalist Lukas Weißhaidinger (Austria, 67.70m/222-1). Reigning World Champion Daniel Ståhl of Sweden finished fourth at 66.84m (219-3).
 
Rising senior Caisa-Marie Lindfors, representing her native Sweden in the women's discus, placed fourth in her flight and eighth overall with a mark of 61.22m (200-10) to qualify for Saturday's final, which is scheduled for 12:37 p.m. PT. The top throw in either qualifying flight sailed 65.62m (215-3), courtesy of two-time World Champion Sandra Elkasevic of Croatia.
 
Lindfors' future teammate, incoming Croatian freshman Lucija Leko, also competed in the women's discus qualifier and finished with a personal-best throw of 56.97m (186-11) that would put her fourth all time at Cal; earlier that day, she appeared in the women's shot put qualifying rounds, posting a best mark of 15.61m (51-2.75).
 
The Golden Bears' only track representative at the European Championships, alumna Georgia Bell of Great Britain, finished second in her qualifying heat with a 1500m time of 4:12.01. She will compete again on Sunday at 11:36 a.m. PT.
 
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