Mykolas Alekna who is the World record holder in the discus throw made his return months ahead of schedule. The Lithuanian cleared 70 meters in his comeback competition.
The World Record holder in the men's discus throw, Lithuanian
Mykolas Alekna made his return to athletics on Tuesday. Alekna had undergone surgery just three months ago, so a swift return to compete like this was definitely not expected.
When the 23-year old injured his pectoral muscle in March, things looked grim for the rest of the season. Experts estimated that recovery from the necessary surgery could take up to 6 months, with even the most optimistic assessments citing a 4-month recovery as likely.
This would have of course brought this summer's
Athletics European Championships in Birmingham into jeopardy. However, the surgery along with the Lithuanian's recovery has gone better than expected.
Somehow Alekna managed to find himself in Jöhvi, Estonia in his return competition just 3 months later. His first throw was already an impressive 66,56, while his winning attempt cleared the 70 meter mark at 70,60. It was the year's furthest heave that has been completed outside of Ramona, Oklahoma in the United States.
Despite his relatively tender age as a discus thrower, the Lithuanian has been the top performer in the world for years. However, the biggest major titles have so far eluded him, with just a solitary European Championships gold from 2022 complemented by dimmer medals at the world level. If the World Record (75.56m) holder manages to keep himself fit until August, he will of course be one of the favourites for gold in Birmingham.
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