Roje Stona of Jamaica etched his name in the history books by winning the men’s discus gold medal at the Paris Olympics on Wednesday. Stona threw an astonishing 70.00 meters, smashing the previous Olympic record and leaving his competitors in awe.
Lithuania’s Mykolas Alekna, the reigning world record holder, took silver with a remarkable throw of 69.97 meters. He had earlier set a new Olympic record with his best mark on his second attempt, raising hopes of emulating his father, Virgilijus, who won two Olympic discus titles in 2000 and 2004. However, Stona’s exceptional performance thwarted those plans.
Australia’s Matthew Denny, who previously held the fourth-place spot at both the Olympics and World Championships, secured the bronze medal with a throw of 69.31 meters.
Stona, who is coached by American shot put legend Ryan Crouser, who himself won an unprecedented third consecutive gold medal in shot put on Saturday, delivered a captivating performance. He achieved the record-breaking throw on his fourth attempt, silencing the stadium with his powerful and precise throw.
This victory further solidifies Jamaica’s dominance in track and field, adding another golden chapter to their already illustrious Olympic legacy.