The 2x Olympic gold medalist, Virgilijus Alekna has been in the history of all-time discus throw world records, standing in the second place. However, in the recent Oklahoma Throws Series, his son Mykolas Alekna soared to etch his father’s place and instead jumped to the same position. After this mesmerizing event on the 14th of April 2024 in Ramona, it is good to note that the family encompasses the discus throw circle and sustains its world-class records in the all-time list.

As Lithuania’s Mykolas Alekna broke the longest-standing men’s world record in the discus throw with an incredible 74.35m mark to outwit his father, Virgilijus Alekna’s 73.88m, the father-son duo has got an interesting statistical bio of their own that can be compared with each other. Let us dive deep into their figures to know how they progressed throughout their journeys.

Comparative statistics of Mykolas Alekna and Virgilijus Alekna

The 2x Olympic champion, Virgilijus Alekna, scored his best in the Lithuanian Championships in Kaunas with a 73.88m score on 3rd August 2000. Mykolas Alekna scored his personal best lately in the Oklahoma Throw Series 2024, surpassing his father’s best with a 74.35m record. While Mykolas Alekna has not competed indoors in the current year yet, he was awarded Lithuania’s Best Male Athlete of the Year by the National Olympic Committee in 2023.

Earning the second-best discus thrower title with his 69.30m at the World Athletics Championship 2023, Mykolas Alekna broke the European U23 Championships discus record last year and quenched for the Olympic qualifying standard with a throw of 67.87m. It is believed that the Alekna senior won his Olympic titles in the year 2000 in Sydney and the other gold in Athens Olympics in 2004.

The 2x World Champion- Alekna senior also clinched gold at the World Athletics Championships in both Paris in 2003 and Helsinki in 2005. In today’s date he stands second behind the all-time first in the world, Jurgen Schult whose record was a mere 20cm ahead of the Alekna senior. A 1 x Diamond Trophy and a 1 x Grand Prix Final winner, he has been the charm of his family.

The Alekna junior however extends his father’s legacy by emulating one of his father’s achievements in discus throws when he was just 19 year of age, by winning the European Championships in Munich in 2022. It meant he was the youngest ever European champion in the discus, and it followed his silver at the World Athletics Championships in Oregon, where he was also the youngest ever discus medalist.

Junior Alekna honors his father behind his success

Just before the Junior Alekna surpassed his father’s record, he had reported to the World Aquatics.com, “My father is my big idol. He’s a legendary thrower, I want to be like him one day. Maybe even be better than him? We will see what happens.” Talking about the partnership he shared with his father, he recalls that at the age of 16, he used to play football and participate in high jump.

He mentioned being a striker and being quite skilled in his youth. However, he noted that as he grew older, his feet grew larger, causing him to become slower. Consequently, he transitioned to discus throwing, albeit later than usual. He mentioned that his parents encouraged him to engage in sports, regardless of the specific activity, emphasizing the importance of staying active. In reflecting on his journey, he underscores the invaluable support and encouragement he received from his parents, shaping his path in sports.