Aurėja Beniušytė

Lithuanian Track and Field Star

Aurėja Beniušytė is an exceptional Lithuanian track and field athlete who has established herself as one of Europe’s most promising young talents in the triple jump. Representing Lithuania on the international stage, she combines technical excellence with mental fortitude, consistently delivering breakthrough performances at major championships. Her versatility as an athlete, competing in multiple disciplines including triple jump, long jump, heptathlon, and hurdles, showcases her remarkable athletic range and potential.

Athletic Career and Major Accomplishments

Personal Best and Specialty Event

Triple Jump: 13.35 meters (August 2025)

Beniušytė’s personal best represents not only her career-best performance but also a breakthrough achievement that came at the most crucial moment—during the 2025 European Under-20 Championships. The mark demonstrates her ability to perform under pressure and improve when it matters most.

International Championship Success

2025 European Under-20 Championships – Tampere, Finland (August 7-10, 2025)

The 2025 European Under-20 Championships in Tampere, Finland, marked a defining moment in Beniušytė’s young career. Competing in the triple jump, she delivered a stunning performance that resulted in a fourth-place finish—just one position away from the medal podium—while simultaneously setting a new personal record.

In the final, Beniušytė produced a remarkable series of jumps: 13.35m – 13.13m – 12.82m – 12.86m – 13.18m – 12.78m. Her opening jump of 13.35 meters not only secured her fourth place but also improved her previous personal best by fifteen centimeters, a significant leap forward in her development.

The achievement was even more impressive given the execution. Following her coach’s strategic philosophy, Beniušytė delivered her best jump on her very first attempt—a testament to her preparation, mental readiness, and ability to perform immediately under pressure. Remarkably, three of her six jumps exceeded 13 meters, demonstrating exceptional consistency at the elite level.

Reflecting on the moment, Beniušytė expressed pure emotion: “The joy is infinite, I can’t even describe it. While dancing, I felt that I had done everything very well. I didn’t even wait for them to show me if the jump was counted, because I felt that a white flag would be raised – and it was.”

Her fourth-place finish at the European Championships established her as one of the continent’s premier junior triple jumpers and positioned her as a strong prospect for future senior competitions.

2024 World Under-20 Championships

Beniušytė made her debut at the World Under-20 Championships in 2024, finishing in eighteenth position. This experience on the global stage provided invaluable exposure to the highest level of junior competition and contributed to her continued development as an international athlete.

2023 European Under-20 Championships

At the 2023 European Under-20 Championships, Beniušytė finished in eleventh place. While not a podium finish, this performance demonstrated her ability to qualify for and compete at continental championships, setting the stage for her breakthrough in 2025.

2022 European Under-18 Championships

Beniušytė’s first major international championship came at the 2022 European Under-18 Championships, where she secured seventh place in the triple jump. This strong debut on the European stage announced her arrival as a serious contender in youth athletics and provided the foundation for future success.

European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF) Excellence

2022 EYOF – Gold Medal

Beniušytė achieved her first major international gold medal at the 2022 European Youth Olympic Festival, winning the triple jump competition. This victory was particularly significant as it came in a multi-sport festival environment, demonstrating her ability to excel under different competitive pressures and against diverse international competition. The gold medal established her as one of Europe’s most talented youth athletes.

2023 EYOF – Bronze Medal

Following her 2022 triumph, Beniušytė returned to the European Youth Olympic Festival in 2023 and secured a bronze medal, adding to her impressive collection of international medals and further cementing her status as a consistent performer at major youth competitions.

National and Regional Dominance

2025 Championships

The 2025 season was particularly successful for Beniušytė at the national and Baltic regional levels:

• Lithuanian Youth Championships (Winter): Gold medal in triple jump
• Baltic Youth Championships (Winter): Gold medal in triple jump
• Lithuanian Youth Championships (Summer): Gold medal in triple jump
• Baltic Youth Championships (Summer): Silver medal in triple jump

This collection of titles across both indoor and outdoor seasons demonstrates her dominance in Lithuanian youth athletics and her competitiveness in the Baltic region. Her ability to maintain peak performance throughout the winter and summer seasons speaks to her training consistency and physical conditioning.

Training and Coaching

Coach: Indrė Gricevičienė

Beniušytė trains under the expert guidance of coach Indrė Gricevičienė, who has been instrumental in developing her technical skills and competitive mindset. Coach Gricevičienė employs a specific strategic philosophy that has become a cornerstone of Beniušytė’s competitive approach: delivering the best result on the first jump rather than waiting for later attempts.

As Beniušytė explains: “The coach always reminds me of one thing – from the first jump I have to make the best result and not wait for the end, because I can’t always have a chance to make six jumps.”

This philosophy proved remarkably effective at the 2025 European Under-20 Championships, where Beniušytė’s opening jump of 13.35 meters stood as her best attempt of the competition. The coaching relationship between Beniušytė and Gricevičienė extends beyond technical instruction, encompassing psychological preparation and mental resilience.

Training Philosophy and Psychological Development

Beniušytė attributes her success to a comprehensive approach combining several key elements:

1. Hard Work and Dedication: A commitment to rigorous training and continuous improvement
2. Psychological Preparation: Mental conditioning to handle the pressures of elite competition
3. Dedication to Sport: Unwavering focus on athletic development
4. Enjoyment of Competition: Maintaining joy and passion for competing, even under pressure

A significant breakthrough in her 2025 season came through improved mental management. As she reflects: “This season, I learned to deal with my thoughts and ignore what used to get in my way. In addition, I try to find the positive everywhere.”

Before the 2025 European Championships, Beniušytė faced various obstacles that threatened to disrupt her preparation. Rather than succumbing to pressure, she and her coach made a conscious decision to ignore negative thoughts and maintain focus on their preparation. This mental discipline proved crucial to her success.

Competitive Mindset and Emotional Range

Beniušytė openly acknowledges the complex emotional landscape of elite athletics: “Being in the sector, I feel a lot of everything in one – fear, stress, but at the same time happiness, peace, drive and endless joy.”

This self-awareness and ability to embrace the full spectrum of competitive emotions—from fear and stress to happiness and joy—demonstrates a mature approach to high-level competition. Her acknowledgment that “there were various emotions – both sad and very joyful” throughout the season shows an honest and grounded perspective on the challenges of athletic pursuit.

Athletic Versatility and Multi-Event Background

While Beniušytė is primarily known as a triple jump specialist, her World Athletics profile reveals a remarkably versatile athletic background that includes competition in multiple disciplines:

• Triple Jump (primary specialty)
• Long Jump
• Shot Put (3kg)
• Pentathlon Girls Short Track
• Heptathlon U18
• 100 Meters Hurdles (76.2cm)
• 800 Meters

This diverse athletic background in combined events (pentathlon and heptathlon) has likely contributed to her overall athletic development, providing a strong foundation in speed, strength, endurance, and technical skills across multiple disciplines. The experience in hurdles and middle-distance running particularly complements triple jump, where speed, rhythm, and endurance are essential components.

Her participation in combined events also demonstrates exceptional work ethic, as multi-event athletes must maintain proficiency across numerous technical disciplines simultaneously—a demanding training regimen that builds both physical and mental resilience.

Competitive Progression and Career Trajectory

Beniušytė’s international career shows a clear and impressive upward trajectory:

• 2022 (European U18 Championships): 7th place
• 2022 (EYOF): Gold medal
• 2023 (European U20 Championships): 11th place
• 2023 (EYOF): Bronze medal
• 2024 (World U20 Championships): 18th place (world championship debut)
• 2025 (European U20 Championships): 4th place with 13.35m personal best

This progression demonstrates consistent improvement and increasing competitiveness at higher levels of competition. Her ability to medal at the European Youth Olympic Festivals while simultaneously improving her placings at the more competitive European Championships shows both versatility and development.

The jump from eleventh place at the 2023 European Under-20 Championships to fourth place in 2025, combined with a fifteen-centimeter improvement in personal best, represents a significant competitive leap that positions her well for future senior-level success.

Personal Characteristics and Mental Strength

Resilience and Overcoming Adversity

One of Beniušytė’s defining characteristics is her ability to overcome obstacles and maintain focus despite challenges. Her candid discussion of the difficulties leading up to the 2025 European Championships—”various obstacles began to creep in, which hindered normal preparation”—and her decision with her coach to “ignore them and not let bad thoughts affect us” demonstrates remarkable mental strength.

This resilience is particularly noteworthy given her youth. The ability to recognize negative thought patterns, actively work to overcome them, and channel that experience into improved performance shows maturity beyond her years.

Positive Mindset

Beniušytė’s personal philosophy centers on finding positivity in every situation: “I try to find the positive everywhere.” This optimistic outlook, combined with her acknowledgment of emotional complexity, creates a balanced approach to competition that allows her to perform under pressure while maintaining perspective.

Self-Awareness

Her ability to articulate her emotional state during competition—describing the mix of “fear, stress, but at the same time happiness, peace, drive and endless joy”—indicates high self-awareness. This understanding of her mental state allows her to better manage pressure and channel emotions productively.

Intuitive Performance

Beniušytė describes an almost instinctive understanding of her performances: “While dancing, I felt that I had done everything very well. I didn’t even wait for them to show me if the jump was counted, because I felt that a white flag would be raised – and it was.” This body awareness and confidence in execution represents an athlete operating at a high level of technical mastery.

Representing Lithuania

As a proud representative of Lithuania on the international athletics stage, Beniušytė carries her national identity with distinction. Competing under the Lithuanian flag at European championships, World championships, and European Youth Olympic Festivals, she has become one of her country’s most promising young athletic talents.

Her success contributes to Lithuania’s proud tradition in athletics and provides inspiration for young Lithuanian athletes following in her footsteps. With each international competition, she gains valuable experience that will serve both her individual career and Lithuanian athletics as a whole.

Future Prospects and Goals

At just twenty years old (as of 2025), Beniušytė is approaching the transition from junior to senior international competition. Her fourth-place finish at the 2025 European Under-20 Championships, combined with her 13.35-meter personal best, positions her competitively as she prepares for senior-level athletics.

Short-Term Development

As she completes her junior eligibility, immediate goals likely include:

• Breaking the 13.50-meter barrier in triple jump
• Competing in senior-level national and international competitions
• Continuing to refine technique and build strength for senior athletics
• Gaining experience in senior European and potentially World Championships

Long-Term Potential

With her competitive record, technical development, and mental fortitude, Beniušytė has the potential to:

• Represent Lithuania at senior European Championships
• Compete at World Athletics Championships
• Potentially qualify for Olympic Games in future cycles
• Establish herself among Europe’s elite senior triple jumpers
• Pursue the Lithuanian national record in triple jump

Her progression from seventh place at the 2022 European U18 Championships to fourth at the 2025 European U20 Championships, combined with significant personal best improvements, suggests she possesses the development curve necessary for senior success.

Legacy in Development

While still early in her career, Beniušytė is already building a legacy as one of Lithuania’s most accomplished youth athletes. Her two European Youth Olympic Festival medals (gold in 2022, bronze in 2023), combined with multiple national and Baltic titles and her near-podium finish at the 2025 European Under-20 Championships, establish her as a role model for aspiring Lithuanian jumpers.

Her journey—from multi-event athlete to triple jump specialist, from seventh place at European U18s to fourth at European U20s, from dealing with obstacles to achieving personal bests at crucial moments—provides an inspiring narrative of dedication, resilience, and continuous improvement.

Personal Attributes

Beyond the statistics and medals, Beniušytė demonstrates several personal qualities that augur well for her future:

• Gratitude and Humility: Her expression of “infinite joy” at achieving her personal best shows genuine appreciation for her achievements
• Coachability: Her adherence to Coach Gricevičienė’s strategy of delivering best results on first attempts demonstrates trust and respect
• Learning Mindset: Her recognition that “this season, I learned to deal with my thoughts” shows commitment to growth beyond physical training
• Emotional Intelligence: Her ability to articulate and manage the complex emotions of competition
• Positivity: Her conscious effort to “find the positive everywhere” creates a sustainable approach to high-level athletics

Go Aureja!