Patterson finishes seventh in Rome at Compeed Golden Gala...

ROME, Italy--Vancouver's Kara Patterson (left/photo by Mike Scott) finished seventh in the javelin Thursday night at the Compeed Golden Gala meeting at the Stadio Olimipico.

In her second meet of a short European tour that started in Ostrava, Czech Republic last week, the four-time US national champion threw a best of 183-6 (55.94m) in the second round of competition, after opening with a foul.

After fouling on her third throw, Patterson could never really get untracked, with her sixth round toss of 181-5 (55.30m) the second best of the evening.

As she did in Ostrava, defending Olympic champion and Minnesota alum Barbora Spotakova won with a world leading throw of 225-2 (68.65m), and move into first place in the javelin in the season-long Samsung Diamond League standings with 6 points in two meets.

Marysville's Jarred Rome finished sixth in the discus, as he threw a best of 197-5 (60.19m) in an event won by Ehsan Hadadi of Iran with a mark of 218-11 (66.73m).

On the track, former Husky Ingvill Måkestad Bovin finished tenth in the 1500 meters, as the Norwegian ran 4:06.09, as Ethiopia's Abeba Aregawi ran to a world leading time, meet record and national record time of 3:56.54.

Complete results of the Compeed Golden Gala are available here.

EUGENE IS STOP NUMBER FOUR IN SAMSUNG DIAMOND LEAGUE

paulmerca.blogspot.com will have coverage of Saturday's Nike Prefontaine Classic from Hayward Field on the campus of the University of Oregon, the next stop of the worldwide Samsung Diamond League tour.

The meet proper actually gets underway Friday night with Hollister Night at Hayward, with two Diamond League events contested--the men's triple jump, and the women's discus, featuring University of Washington alum Aretha Thurmond.

Kicking things off at Hayward Field is the women's hammer throw, with Spokane native Britney Henry among the entries, as she goes for the Olympic A standard.

The men's international mile has Auburn-Riverside alum Jordan McNamara entered in a field that features former Oregon teammate and 2011 world championships bronze medalist Matthew Centrowitz.

Washington alum Katie Mackey goes in the women's national 1500 as she looks to attain the Olympic A standard in a field that includes reigning world champion Jenny Simpson.

Closing out Friday's Hollister Night at Hayward is the Kenyan Olympic Trials in the 10000, where ten entries, led by Micah Kogo with a personal best of 26:35.63, have run under 27 minutes.

The top two finishers will represent Kenya in London, with the third being selected by Athletics Kenya.

Saturday, former Washington State standout Ebba Jungmark of Sweden makes her return to the Pacific Northwest, as the 2008 NCAA indoor champ and this year's world indoor championship silver medalist in the high jump competes against reigning world indoor champ Chaunte Lowe of the USA and world outdoor champ Anna Chicherova of Russia, along with the University of Arizona's Brigetta Barrett.

Although not a Diamond League event, Tacoma's Brie Felnagle is entered in the women's 3000 against a strong field of America's best, with Texas Tech alum Sally Kipyego, the world championships silver medalist at 10000 dropping down in distance.

Gig Harbor's Mark Wieczorek will serve as the pace setter in the men's 5000 featuring the defending Olympic champion Kenenisa Bekele of Ethiopia against reigning world champ Mo Farah of Great Britain, along with Americans Galen Rupp and Matt Tegenkamp, and Kenya's Augustine Choge.

The meet's final event, the Bowerman Mile, features Washington State alum Bernard Lagat as he drops down in distance to face Olympic champ Asbel Kiprop of Kenya, along with Olympic teammates Lopez Lomong, Leo Manzano, and Andrew Wheating.

The start list for the Nike Prefontaine Classic is available here.

NBC Sports will provide live coverage of the Nike Prefontaine Classic, beginning at noon, pacific time on Saturday.

Media partner RunnerSpace.com will offer streaming coverage of Friday's Hollister Night at Hayward. It will also be streamed via preclassic.com.

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