Gaute Myklebust has the ability to throw a case of beer over 58feet. That is, the case of beer is equal to the weight of the shotput he throws that same distance.
The 24-year-old native Norwegian is in his first year atMemphis, and has already broken the University of Memphis29-year-old record for the discus throw.
"He is the best athlete in the discus that we've ever had hereat The University," head track coach Glenn Hays said.
The junior field athlete broke the discus record with a toss of58.31m at the Sea Ray Relays last week.
A track and field record being broken by a person from Sand,Norway is a rare occurance.
Myklebust grew up in the southwest part of Norway where trackand field is not the most popular sport.
"I started with a track club, doing running, jumping andthrowing," Myklebust said. "I just always liked the throwingpart."
He came in second in the discus throw at the Norway track andfield championships.
Myklebust came to the U. S. to go to school and to throwcompetitively, which is not possible in Norway.
"It's easier to combine going to school and training here," hesaid. "Back home, the universities don't have sports teams."
Myklebust is majoring in mechanical engineering at TheUniversity.
Myklebust participated in the track clubs in his native Norwaysince he was a kid, but wanted to go to school as well.
He began his college career at Southern Illinois-Carbondale, andwon the Missouri Valley Conference Indoor Championship in the shotput, with a throw of 58'05.00.
"It was my coach," Myklebust said. "He got a job here, so I justkind of followed him."
Although he has made great strides to make it to the NCAARegionals, Myklebust said he knows the most difficult part is yetto come.
"Qualifying for the Regionals, that's not the hard part," hesaid. "The hard part is to get to Nationals."
If Myklebust keeps up the results he made so far in the outdoorseason, making Nationals won't be a problem.
Myklebust won the discus competition at the Big Cat Classic witha throw of 55.37m.
At the SEMO meets, Myklebust swept both the discus and shot putevents.
Hays is confident Myklebust will perform well in theRegionals.
"I would think he would be on performance for either the firstor second place," Hays said.
If Myklebust does place in the top two, he will have placed highenough to advance to the Nationals.
Myklebust is one of only two athletes that throw for the men'strack team at The U of M, but their combined scores add a lot tothe team.
"It's a small but very potent group of throwers," Hays said.
He also added the two athletes, with 35 combined points, canmake up a third of the team's score in a conference meet.
The Tigers have six meets left to improve their skills for theConference USA Outdoor Championship and to join Myklebust inqualifying for Regionals.
Teammates like Mate Nemeth, Istvan Kerekjarto and Gary Nemethare heading to the NCAAs.
The team will travel to the C-USA Outdoor Championships inCharlotte, N.C., on May 15-17
The NCAA regionals will be held May 30-31 in Columbus, Ohio.
