Mykolas Alekna Shatters Discus World Record with 75.56m Throw Amidst 'Weather Doping' Allegations

Lithuanian athlete Mykolas Alekna achieved a new world record in the discus throw at the Continental Tour Bronze event in Ramona, Oklahoma, with a distance of 75.56 meters. This mark surpasses his previous record of 74.35m, making him the first person to exceed 75 meters in the event. Matthew Denny of Australia also exceeded Alekna's previous record with a throw of 74.78m. Valarie Allman set a new U.S. women's record with a throw of 73.52m, the longest in 36 years. However, these performances have sparked controversy, with some Scandinavian commentators and coaches suggesting that the venue's design, which leverages high wind speeds, provided an unfair advantage, coining the term "weather doping." Unlike track events, discus throw regulations do not restrict wind assistance for record validation. Millican Field in Oklahoma has multiple throwing circles designed to optimize wind direction. Despite criticism, officials indicate that the results will be ratified, anticipating more wind-assisted throws in the future.