23-Year-Old Breaks 38-Year Discus Record Set Before Birth

In a sport that dates back to ancient Greece, no human has ever thrown a discus as far as Mykolas Alekna just did.

The 23-year-old Lithuanian became the first person to break the 75-meter barrier in April 2025, launching the discus 75.56 meters in Ramona, Oklahoma. He shattered a world record that had stood untouched for 38 years.

What makes his achievement even more remarkable is how unlikely it seemed just years ago. Alekna wasn't a natural prodigy destined for greatness from childhood.

"I wasn't maybe the most talented kid at the start," Alekna says from his home in Lithuania. "I started a little later."

As a teenager, Alekna was short for discus standards and focused on playing soccer, his favorite sport. He didn't even try discus until age 15 or 16, when a growth spurt changed everything.

His father Virgilijus, a two-time Olympic champion, helped guide his technique during those crucial early years. But Mykolas carved his own path, developing explosive power through modern training methods rather than relying purely on maximum strength like previous generations.

The hard work paid off spectacularly. At 19, he became the youngest men's European discus champion in history. At 22, he broke that decades-old world record.

This summer at the Paris Olympics, he won silver and surpassed his father's 20-year-old Olympic record by eight centimeters. His father admitted he never expected this level of success.

Why This Inspires

Alekna's story proves that starting late doesn't mean finishing behind. While other athletes showed early promise, he transformed himself through dedication and smart training after his teenage years.

His younger sister Gabriele recently took up discus too, inspired by watching her brothers succeed. The family tradition continues, but each athlete writes their own chapter.

Despite his world-record status, Alekna lives quietly when training in the United States, where few recognize him outside Lithuania. He focuses on the work, not the fame.

Now competing at the European Championships in Birmingham, England, he's chasing another milestone his Olympic champion father never achieved: retaining a European title.

From short soccer-loving teenager to world record holder, Alekna shows that greatness often blooms later than expected.