With the annual Oklahoma Throws Series competition returning to ‘Throw Town’ Ramona in Oklahoma in the United States from 10-13 April, former world and current European champion Kristjan Ceh is making his meeting debut with one eye on the world record.
Slovenia's Ceh has made his way to Ramona to compete in the competition for the first time as he looks to better his 72.36m PB and hunt down the world record.
The Oklahoma Throws Series has become synonymous with discus world records in recent years due to optimal wind and circle orientation conditions.
Two years on the bounce Lithuania’s Mykolas Alekna has broken the world record at this competition, including twice in one day last year. He threw 74.35m in 2024 to break Jurgen Schult's long-standing world record before improving the mark to 75.56m last year to become the first man in history to break the 75 metre-barrier in the event.
Matthew Denny of Australia also exceeded the previous best mark last year with 74.78m, but only after Alekna had already extended the record, which meant that one competition saw three marks beyond the previous world record last year.
Ceh is yet to throw in competition in Ramona, with his PB coming from an in-stadia competition, and has been in the town on training camp in preparation.
There will be several Oklahoma Throws Series events over the coming weeks, with just the World Invitational on 11-13 April ranked as a World Athletics Continental Tour Bronze event.
The world record-holder Alekna won’t be able to defend his title at this year’s competition after fully tearing his pectoral muscle earlier this month, he has undergone surgery and says he’ll “be back stronger.”
In the case a world record is broken at the meet, the athlete will be given a performance bonus of $15,000 (limited to one person per meet).