Alekna adds U23 gold to U20 and senior crowns past two years; Louisiana Monroe high jumper Ünlü captures title for Turkey, Cal Baptist’s Karinauskaite secures 3,000 steeplechase silver for Lithuania, with former Arkansas athlete Vekemans earning pole vault silver for Belgium

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Three years, a trio of European Athletics Championships and a trifecta of discus gold medals for Lithuanian star and Cal standout Mykolas Alekna.

Alekna, 20, produced a meet-record 224 feet, 2 inches (68.34m) on his second attempt Saturday to secure the title at the European Athletics Under-23 Championships at Leppavaara Stadium in Espoo, Finland.

DAVID HICKS DAY 1 PHOTOS | DAVID HICKS DAY 2 PHOTOS | DAVID HICKS DAY 3 PHOTOS

Alekna’s victory follows gold medals in 2021 at the European Athletics U20 Championships in Estonia, in addition to the senior-level European Athletics Championships last year in Germany.

Alekna surpassed the U23 championship record of Slovenia’s Kristjan Ceh, who achieved a throw of 221-5 (67.48m) in 2021 in Estonia.

Germany’s Marius Karges secured silver with a mark of 205-3 (62.56m) and Spain’s Yasiel Sotero earned bronze with a throw of 202-4 (61.69m).

Lithuania achieved a second medal Saturday from Cal Baptist’s Greta Karinauskaite in the women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase final.

Germany’s Olivia Gürth won gold in a meet-record 9:26.98, with NCAA Division 1 runner-up Karinauskaite capturing silver in 9:30.96 and Spain’s Marta Serrano taking bronze in 9:41.47.

Gurth eclipsed the 2019 performance of Denmark’s Anna Emilie Møller, who ran 9:27.31 in Sweden.

Switzerland’s Ditaji Kambundji capped Saturday’s schedule with another championship record of 12.68 in the women’s 100-meter hurdles.

Kambundji improved on the 2019 effort of Belarusian athlete Elvira Herman, who clocked 12.70 in Sweden.

Italy’s Elena Carraro edged Hungary’s Anna Toth by a 12.962 to 12.967 margin to achieve the silver medal.

Another photo finish came in the men’s 4x100-meter relay, with Italy relying on an impressive anchor leg from Junior Tardioli to hold off France by a 38.917 to 38.920 margin to grab the gold medal.

Eric Marek, Matteo Malluzzo and Marco Ricci also contributed to the title for Italy, with Poland achieving bronze in 39.06.

Cassie-Ann Pemberton, Amy Hunt, Alyson Bell and Aleeya Sibbons helped Great Britain set a championship record of 43.04 in the women’s 4x100 relay.

Great Britain slightly improved on Germany’s gold-medal effort of 43.05 in 2021 in Estonia.

France secured silver in 43.39 and Switzerland took bronze in 43.59.

Ukraine enjoyed a day of impressive performances, including Mykhaylo Kokhan winning the men’s hammer throw with a sixth-round mark of 253-3 (77.21m).

Germany’s Merlin Hummel achieved silver with a 248-foot throw (75.61m) and teammate Sören Klose grabbed bronze at 241-9 (73.70m).

Ukraine also captured men’s javelin gold, with Artur Felfner throwing 272-5 (83.04m) on his final attempt.

Felfner, the reigning World U20 gold medalist from last year in Colombia, had three throws beyond the 80-meter mark in his series.

Finland’s Topias Laine was the silver medalist at 261-9 (79.77m) and Italy’s Michele Fina took third at 253-4 (77.23m).

Ukraine had two more athletes share the silver medal in the men’s high jump, with Oleh Doroschchuk and Roman Petruk both clearing 7-2.25 (2.19m).

Turkey’s Ali Eren Ünlü, representing Louisiana Monroe, captured the gold medal with a 7-3.25 (2.22m) clearance on his second opportunity.

France’s Marie-Julie Bonnin cleared 14-9 (4.50m) on her second attempt to win the women’s pole vault.

Belgium’s Elien Vekemans, a former All-American at Arkansas, captured silver with a 14-7.25 (4.45m) clearance and Norway’s Kitty Friele Faye was the bronze medalist at 14-5.25 (4.40m).

Germany took the top two spots in the men’s shot put final, with Tizian Lauria earning gold at 64-11.50 (19.80m) and Eric Maihofer securing silver at 63-9.50 (19.44m).

Muhamet Ramadani of Kosovo achieved the first medal for his country at the meet, grabbing bronze following a 63-foot (19.20m) effort.

France’s Simon Gore emerged victorious in the men’s triple jump with a fourth-round mark of 53-9.75 (16.40m).

Sweden’s Gabriel Wallmark was the silver medalist with a 53-3.50 (16.24m) performance and Turkey’s Batuhan Cakir achieved bronze at 53-0.25 (16.16m).

Great Britain’s Alice Goodall won the women’s 10,000-meter championship in 33:16.45, with Italy’s Sara Nestola earning silver in 33:17.51 and teammate Aurora Bado taking bronze in 34:12.75.

Dutch athlete Stefan Nillessen prevailed in a thrilling men’s 1,500 final in 3:43.35, edging Spain’s Mohamed Attaoui (3:43.63) and Sweden’s Samuel Pihlstrom (3:43.73).

France’s Sasha Zhoya triumphed in the men’s 110-meter hurdles final in 13.31 and teammate Erwann Cinna earned bronze in 13.47. Italy’s Lorenzo Ndele was the silver medalist in 13.36.