James Molgaard / KLC fotos
Mykolas Alekna will need to stave off Australia's Matthew Denny this Sunday, who is just 4 inches shy of his world record.
T&F4/11/2025 5:55 PM | By: Cal Athletics
Back To Throw Town
Mykolas Alekna Returns To Site Of World-Record Throw Sunday
On April 14, 2024, California track & field's
Mykolas Alekna became
the best there ever was in the discus throw, breaking a world record that had stood for 38 years at Throw Town's Millican Field in Ramona, Oklahoma.
On April 13, 2025, all eyes will be on him as he steps into the same ring, hoping to surpass the mark of 74.35m (243-11) that officially made him the man to beat in every competition.
Alekna will headline Section A of men's discus at the Oklahoma Throws Series World Invitational, which is scheduled to start at 11:30 a.m. PT. At just 22 years old, he is the youngest man in the field and the only collegian. Should he surpass 71 meters flat, Alekna will reset his own collegiate record, as his world record from last year did not count due to him competing unattached.
The eight-man start list is stacked with powerhouse names, Olympians all. Leading off will be Claudio Romero Beltrán, who defeated Alekna for the NCAA title in 2022. Three spots later waits American Sam Mattis, who crossed 70 meters Thursday at Millican Field with a personal-best mark of 70.08m (229-11). Right after him comes Olympic finalist Clemens Prüfer, who finished sixth in Paris.
Then there's 28-year-old Matthew Denny of Australia, the Olympic bronze medalist who threw just 10 centimeters shy of Alekna's record at Thursday's meet with a throw of 74.25m (243-7). His personal best coming into the year was 69.96m (229-6), marking one of the greatest single-season improvements in history.
Sunday's meet was already much anticipated due to Alekna's presence – now, the stakes have skyrocketed as No. 1 and No. 2 on the all-time world list will compete head-to-head.
The meet will be streamed on Throws University's
YouTube page. Live results will be provided through
Black Squirrel Timing.
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