1. Early Life and Education
Virgilijus Alekna's early life and educational journey laid the foundation for his future athletic and public service careers.
1.1. Birth and Childhood
Virgilijus Alekna was born on February 13, 1972, in the village of Terpeikiai, located in the Kupiškis District of Panevėžys County, Lithuania. His childhood was spent in this rural environment, which likely influenced his early engagement in sports and physical activity.
1.2. Education
Alekna completed his primary education at Lukoniai Elementary School and later attended Subačius Middle School. From 1987 to 1990, he pursued specialized sports education at the Panevėžys Sports High School, where he honed his athletic skills. Following his high school graduation, he continued his academic pursuits at the Lithuanian University of Educational Sciences in Vilnius, where he majored in physical education. This academic background provided him with a deeper understanding of the principles of sports and training, complementing his natural talent.
2. Athletics Career
Virgilijus Alekna's athletics career spanned over two decades, marked by consistent high-level performance and numerous international medals, establishing him as one of the greatest discus throwers in history.
2.1. Early Career and National Team Debut
Alekna began his professional discus throwing career in 1990. His talent quickly became apparent, leading to his selection for the Lithuanian national team in 1994. His first major international appearance was at the 1994 European Athletics Championships in Helsinki, Finland, where he placed 17th with a throw of 185 ft (56.38 m). The following year, in August 1995, he competed at the 1995 World Championships in Athletics in Gothenburg, Sweden, finishing 19th with 194 ft (59.2 m).
In May 1996, Alekna achieved his first significant international victory at the Rehde International Athletics Meeting in Rhede, Germany, and took third place at the Jena International Competition in Jena, Germany. In July, he earned a bronze medal at the Bislett Games in Oslo, Norway. That same month, he made his Olympic debut at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, United States, where he secured a respectable fifth place with a throw of 214 ft (65.3 m). The next year, in March 1997, he participated in the shot put at the 1997 IAAF World Indoor Championships in Paris, France, finishing 17th with 62 ft (18.9 m). His progress continued with victories at the Athletics Grand Prix in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and the Gran Premio Diputación competition in Seville, Spain. He also achieved runner-up finishes at the Golden Gala in Rome, Italy; the Bratislava International Competition in Bratislava, Slovakia; and the Nuremberg International Competition in Nuremberg, Germany. In July, he won a silver medal at the 1997 Baltic Games in Kaunas, Lithuania, with a throw of 214 ft (65.26 m), behind his teammate Vaclovas Kidykas. At the 1997 World Championships in Athletics in Athens, Greece, Alekna earned his first World Championships medal, a silver, with a throw of 219 ft (66.7 m), behind Lars Riedel of Germany. Following the World Championships, he secured a gold and two silver medals in international competitions held in Switzerland, including the Weltklasse Zürich.
In 1998, Alekna started the year strong with a win at the Porritt Classic in Hamilton, New Zealand, in February. By July 1998, he had accumulated 10 gold medals and 1 silver medal in various international competitions. Before the 1998 European Athletics Championships, he won a silver medal at the Weltklasse Zürich. Later that August, at the European Championships in Budapest, Hungary, he claimed a bronze medal with 218 ft (66.46 m), trailing Germany's Riedel and Jürgen Schult. Following the European Championships, he won the ISTAF meeting in Berlin, Germany, and the IAAF World Cup in Cape Town, South Africa. In 1999, from January to August, he earned seven gold medals and one silver, notably finishing fourth at the 1999 World Championships in Athletics in Seville, Spain, with 222 ft (67.53 m). He concluded 1999 with a bronze at the Memorial Van Damme in Brussels, Belgium, a silver at the Berlin ISTAF, and another silver at the Grand Prix Final in Munich, Germany, with 219 ft (66.65 m).
In 2000, Alekna began his year in South Africa, winning a gold and a silver medal at the South African Bank Cup International Competition. From March to August, he participated in 15 international competitions, winning every single one. In September, he won a silver at the Berlin ISTAF before going on to the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia, where he claimed his first Olympic gold medal with a throw of 227 ft (69.3 m), surpassing Riedel and Frantz Kruger of South Africa. This exceptional performance led to him being named the Athlete of the Year by Track and Field News, and in 2001, he was honored with the Order of the Lithuanian Grand Duke Gediminas by the Lithuanian government.
2.2. Major International Achievements
Virgilijus Alekna's career was defined by his dominant performances at the pinnacle of track and field, including the Olympic Games and World Championships.
2.2.1. Olympic Achievements
Alekna's Olympic career is marked by three medals: two golds and one bronze.
- 2000 Sydney Olympics:** He won his first gold medal in the discus throw with a mark of 227 ft (69.3 m).
- 2004 Athens Olympics:** Alekna secured his second consecutive Olympic gold medal. This victory came after the original gold medalist, Róbert Fazekas of Hungary, was disqualified for a doping violation, specifically tampering with his urine sample and refusing to provide a new one. Although Fazekas had set an Olympic record, his record was erased, and Alekna's winning throw of 229 ft (69.89 m) became the new Olympic record.
- 2008 Beijing Olympics:** He earned a bronze medal in the discus throw, demonstrating his continued competitiveness at the highest level.
- 2012 London Olympics:** Alekna served as the flag bearer for the Lithuanian delegation during the opening ceremony. He finished fourth in the discus throw with a throw of 221 ft (67.38 m).
- 2024 Paris Olympics:** His long-standing Olympic record of 229 ft (69.89 m) from Athens 2004 was broken twice during the men's discus throw event. His son, Mykolas Alekna, first surpassed it with a throw of 230 ft (69.97 m), and then Rojé Stona further broke the record with a throw of 230 ft (70 m).
2.2.2. World and European Championships
Alekna achieved significant success at both the World and European Championships, consistently medaling against the world's best.
| Performance in major competitions | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Competition | Place | Result (meters) |
| 1994 | European Championship | 17 | 185 ft (56.38 m) |
| 1995 | World Championship | 19 | 194 ft (59.2 m) |
| 1996 | Summer Olympics | 5 | 214 ft (65.3 m) |
| 1997 | World Championship | 2 | 219 ft (66.7 m) |
| 1997 | IAAF Grand Prix Final | 5 | 209 ft (63.76 m) |
| 1998 | European Championship | 3 | 218 ft (66.46 m) |
| 1998 | IAAF World Cup | 1 | 229 ft (69.66 m) |
| 1999 | World Championship | 4 | 222 ft (67.53 m) |
| 1999 | IAAF Grand Prix Final | 2 | 219 ft (66.65 m) |
| 2000 | Lithuanian Athletics Championships | 1 | 242 ft (73.88 m) (NR) |
| 2000 | Summer Olympics | 1 | 227 ft (69.3 m) |
| 2001 | World Championship | 2 | 228 ft (69.4 m) |
| 2001 | IAAF Grand Prix Final | 1 | 211 ft (64.42 m) |
| 2002 | European Championship | 2 | 219 ft (66.62 m) |
| 2003 | World Championship | 1 | 229 ft (69.69 m) |
| 2003 | World Athletics Final | 1 | 224 ft (68.3 m) |
| 2004 | Summer Olympics | 1 | 229 ft (69.89 m) (OR) |
| 2004 | World Athletics Final | 4 | 209 ft (63.64 m) |
| 2005 | World Championship | 1 | 230 ft (70.17 m) |
| 2005 | World Athletics Final | 1 | 222 ft (67.64 m) |
| 2006 | European Championship | 1 | 225 ft (68.67 m) |
| 2006 | World Athletics Final | 1 | 225 ft (68.63 m) |
| 2006 | IAAF World Cup | 1 | 220 ft (67.19 m) |
| 2007 | World Championship | 4 | 214 ft (65.24 m) |
| 2007 | World Athletics Final | 2 | 216 ft (65.94 m) |
| 2008 | Summer Olympics | 3 | 222 ft (67.79 m) |
| 2008 | World Athletics Final | 8 | 200 ft (61.03 m) |
| 2009 | World Championship | 4 | 218 ft (66.36 m) |
| 2009 | World Athletics Final | 1 | 222 ft (67.63 m) |
| 2010 | European Championship | 5 | 212 ft (64.64 m) |
| 2011 | World Championship | 6 | 210 ft (64.09 m) |
| 2012 | Summer Olympics | 4 | 221 ft (67.38 m) |
| 2013 | World Championship | 16 | 203 ft (61.91 m) |
| 2014 | European Championship | 21 | 195 ft (59.35 m) |
2.3. Records and Physical Characteristics
Alekna's personal best in the discus throw stands at 242 ft (73.88 m), achieved on August 3, 2000, which was a Lithuanian national record. This throw was, at the time, second only to Jürgen Schult's then-world record of 243 ft (74.08 m) set in 1986. Subsequently, his son, Mykolas Alekna, surpassed both records with a new world record of 244 ft (74.35 m) in 2024. Virgilijus Alekna also held the Olympic record of 229 ft (69.89 m), set during his gold-medal performance at the 2004 Athens Olympics, which stood for 20 years before being broken at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Standing at a height of 6.6 ft (2.02 m), Alekna possesses an unusually long arm span, measured at 7.3 ft (2.24 m). This remarkable physical attribute provided him with a significant advantage in discus throwing, as a longer arm span allows for greater centrifugal force to be applied to the discus, leading to longer throws. A notable anecdote illustrating his arm span claims he can make fingerprints on the windows of two opposite sides of a bus simultaneously.
2.4. Retirement from Athletics
Virgilijus Alekna's retirement from competitive athletics was a gradual process. While he initially intended to retire after the Diamond League final at the Memorial Van Damme in September 2012, he later decided to continue competing. His final competitive appearance came on August 31, 2014, at the ISTAF Berlin meeting. During the 2007 World Championships in Athletics, Alekna competed while nursing an injury sustained on August 20. Despite the injury, he participated in the qualification round on August 28, which resulted in a defeat, breaking a remarkable streak of 37 consecutive victories over the preceding two years.
3. Political Career
Following his illustrious athletics career, Virgilijus Alekna transitioned into the political arena, leveraging his public profile and dedication to serve his country in a different capacity.
From 2011 to 2016, Alekna served as a sports advisor within the Lithuanian Ministry of Interior. In May 2016, he announced his intention to participate in the 2016 Lithuanian parliamentary election as a candidate on the electoral list of the opposition Liberal Movement, though he did not formally join the party. Although he lost the run-off election in the single-member constituency of Naujamiestis, he successfully secured a seat in the Twelfth Seimas through the party's electoral list, where he was ranked second. His commitment to public service continued, and he was re-elected in 2020, becoming a member of the Thirteenth Seimas.
4. Personal Life
Virgilijus Alekna is married to Kristina Sablovskytė-Aleknienė, a former long jumper. The couple has three children: two sons, Martynas and Mykolas Alekna, and a daughter, Gabrielė Aleknaite. Both of his sons have followed in their father's footsteps, becoming discus throwers, with Mykolas Alekna notably achieving a new world record in the event in 2024.
Beyond his family life and athletic endeavors, Alekna has also held significant public roles. From 1995 to 2011, he served as a bodyguard for the Prime Minister of Lithuania. In 2007, he was appointed as a UNESCO Champion for Sport, a role that involves promoting sports and physical education as a means of personal development and social cohesion.
5. Awards and Honors
Virgilijus Alekna has received numerous awards and honors throughout his athletic and public service careers, recognizing his outstanding achievements and contributions.
- Order of the Lithuanian Grand Duke Gediminas**: Alekna has been awarded this prestigious Lithuanian state order multiple times for his contributions:
- Knight's Cross (5th Class) on August 12, 1996.
- Commander's Cross (3rd Class) on August 28, 1997.
- Commander's Grand Cross (2nd Class) on August 24, 2001.
- Grand Cross (1st Class) on August 28, 2003.
- Lithuanian Sportsman of the Year**: He was named the Lithuanian Sportsman of the Year four times: in 2000, 2004, 2005, and 2006, reflecting his consistent dominance in his sport and national recognition.
- Track and Field News Athlete of the Year**: In 2000, Alekna was honored with the Athlete of the Year award by the prestigious American publication Track and Field News, acknowledging his exceptional performance during that year.
- European Athletics Lifetime Achievement Award**: In 2017, Alekna received the European Athletics Lifetime Achievement award, a testament to his enduring impact and legacy within European athletics over his long career.
6. Legacy and Influence
Virgilijus Alekna's legacy extends far beyond his individual athletic achievements, profoundly influencing Lithuanian athletics and inspiring a new generation of athletes. His consistent excellence on the global stage for over two decades established him as a national icon and a benchmark for aspiring Lithuanian track and field athletes.
His influence is most evident in the success of his own sons, Martynas and Mykolas Alekna, who have both followed in his footsteps as discus throwers. Mykolas, in particular, has achieved international acclaim, breaking the world record in discus throw in 2024, a feat even his father had not accomplished. This familial succession highlights Alekna's direct impact on the sport and his ability to foster athletic talent within his own family. Beyond his family, Alekna's dedication, discipline, and sportsmanship serve as an enduring example for young athletes in Lithuania and globally. His transition into politics further cemented his role as a public figure committed to contributing to society, showcasing that excellence achieved in sports can be channeled into other forms of public service. As a UNESCO Champion for Sport, he continues to promote the values of sport and its positive impact on human development.