Sports from GDR times
Oldest world record in athletics broken
As of: 1:16 p.m. | Reading time: 2 minutes
Jürgen Schult after his record in the Jahn Stadium in Neubrandenburg
Quelle: picture alliance/ZB
For a long time, a German held the record in discus throwing. The world record set in Neubrandenburg stood for decades, most recently it was the oldest ever for men in athletics. Now it has been cracked.
Last year, two records that had stood for decades had already fallen. In February, long-distance runner Amanal Petros broke the almost 30-year-old record over ten kilometers, and in the summer Leo Neugebauer followed, who beat Jürgen Hingsen’s ancient record. It lasted for 39 years and was set up on June 9, 1984 in Mannheim by the German decathlon legend with 8,832 points. Neugebauer gained four points more.
Two great successes, even if only combined with national records. Now a German has lost his record after almost 38 years. And in Jürgen Schult’s case it’s more than just about the German record. Schult held the discus throwing world record until the weekend.
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The Lithuanian Mykolas Alekna has now set a new one of 74.35 meters, surpassing the German’s almost 38-year-old record. The Schwerin native threw the disc at 74.08 meters in Neubrandenburg on June 6, 1986; his mark was most recently the oldest men’s world record in athletics.
High widths for women too
European champion Alekna managed a fabulous series of throws of more than 70 meters each in perfect conditions in Ramona, Oklahoma, on Sunday (local time). In his fifth attempt, Alekna, who was studying in California, set the record. According to the World Athletics Association, 74.41 meters were initially measured, the width was then corrected downwards by six centimeters and has yet to be officially recognized as a record.
World record holder: Mykolas Alekna from Lithuania achieved what his father was denied
Source: dpa/Sven Hoppe
The 21-year-old Alekna is the top favorite for the Olympic Games in Paris, two months before the European Championships in Rome at the beginning of June. The 2022 World Cup runner-up and 2023 World Cup third place is the son of Virgilijus Alekna, who was Olympic champion in 2000 and 2004 and also won two World Cup titles. His best performance was 73.88 meters.
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At the meeting in Ramona on Saturday, Cuban Yaime Perez achieved the longest throw for women since 1989 with 73.09 meters. Gabriele Reinsch from Cottbus has held the world record since July 9, 1988, when she achieved 76.80 meters in Neubrandenburg.