Thrower's dreams hinge on June

PROVO — Welcome to Nik Arrhenius' month of June, where the former BYU

discus thrower has one eye on a travel-packed European itinerary and

the other eye on a specific distance to throw — 64.5 meters.That's 212 feet, 7 inches — or nearly 71 yards, for those more comfortable with football-field dimensions.That's the "A" standard for Olympic qualifying.And that's the distance Arrhenius needs, starting this weekend, to earn

a trip to compete in the 2008 Beijing Summer Games, compliments of the

Swedish Olympic Committee.He's done it before — repeatedly in practice sessions earlier this

month with some of the world's best discus throwers at the U.S. Olympic

training center in San Diego. His personal best in competition was done

last year here in the U.S. — a throw of 65.77 meters, more than a meter

farther than the "A" standard.But he needs to throw better than 64.5 this month, in competition, as

he bounces from meet to meet — in Estonia, Lithuania, Poland, Turkey,

Finland and back "home" to Sweden the last week of June.No matter that he is the best discus thrower in Sweden, thanks in part

to his father, Anders, creating dual U.S./Swedish citizenship for

Arrhenius and his siblings a dozen years ago, with the former BYU and

Swedish pro shot putter from the 1970s training his children in the

throwing events as they grew up and competed for Orem's Mountain View

High.No matter that Arrhenius is the reigning NCAA outdoors national

champion in the event, having thrown 206 feet, 2 inches at the 2007

nationals, move than a half-foot farther than the Olympic "B" standard

of 62.5 meters, which he has surpassed eight times.No, Swedish Olympic track officials want him to reach the "A" standard

a time or two during June and couple that with some good throws in