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The 18-year-old, who won the gold championship at the European Championships in Tallinn and the World Championships in Nairobi this year, will soon be carrying suitcases for a trip across the Atlantic to the prestigious University of California, Berkeley.
This university is in the top ten in many world rankings, with more than 40,000 students at a partially state-funded academic institution. students.
Alekna signed a contract with the University of California, Berkeley in November of last year.
Only the 28-year-old coach, Mantas Jusis, welcomed his decision, although he will have to say goodbye to his best student.
“I would like to congratulate Michael on signing a contract with the University of California, Berkeley. Next year he will go to study in the United States. It is a very correct move because common practice shows that athletes who have completed 12 classes are not doing well. funded to survive while achieving lofty athletic goals.
You have to start working, it is difficult to combine work with sport and the latter is second as a favorite activity.
The number of international competitions is decreasing because you are not at the level to fight against world class athletes.
In the United States, athletes receive free education and housing. The University is building a family of athletes who support each other and strive to earn the highest possible place in the NCAA Championships. The NCAA Championship competition is reminiscent of the European Athletics Championships. High competition encourages improvement for another four years, and after graduation it is always possible to return to Lithuania and continue playing sports here.
A tip for all athletes: if you want to continue your sports career, make the right and bold decisions. If you choose a university, choose the best and most reliable, “said M.Jusis.
The technician also recalled the beginning of his work with Michael.
“In August 2017, we met this talented young athlete on an athletic field. At the time, someone was trying to prove to me that I would not make a meticulous record with it because there is no good physical data, too small, too thin …
However, I felt that all of this was not true and a year later we proved them wrong. Already in 2018, Mykolas dropped 51.31 m at the Lithuanian Youth Championship with his iron character and will at the Lithuanian Youth Championship and improved his personal record by 3 meters, “threw” the favorite of the competition and won the Championship. from Lithuania.
In the summer of 2019, he dropped the puck at 58.45m, became the Lithuanian youth champion, and won a ticket to an international competition – the European Youth Festival. There was a bit of a lack of experience, success and courage in the championship, but he won ninth place.
And in 2020, Mykolas showed an incredible result of constant work and endless effort and desire. The 1.75 kg puck dropped 62.19 m and became the Lithuanian youth champion, this result made him the TOP 5 among young people in the world ”, said the coach.
His expectations for 2021 came true.
The coach entrusted him with the task of improving Andrius Gudžius’ Lithuanian youth record (65.51m) and he succeeded.
In the World Championship, M. Alekna triumphed by dropping 69.81 m.
This is the second result in the world, only 32 cm worse than the world record of the Ukrainian Mykyta Nesterenka.
“Working with you, I improved incredibly as a coach. I tried to create the best possible training model, which is why I analyzed the load planning, regulation and recovery processes, further improved the peculiarities of the pitcher training technique, I delved into biomechanics, exercise selection strategy and injury prevention. . We grew and improved together. Once again, congratulations on making the right decision, ”wrote the coach.
