Kara Patterson earns second place finish in Monaco...

FONTVIELLE, Monaco--Vancouver's Kara Patterson (left/photo by Paul Merca) took second in the javelin at the Herculis Meeting Thursday night, behind the Czech Republic's Barbora Spotakova.

Spotakova, a former University of Minnesota standout, and the reigning Olympic champ and world record holder in the event, took only two throws, as she won with her second attempt, rifling the spear 215-9 (65.76m).

Patterson, the three-time USA national champion from Skyview HS and Purdue University, threw the javelin 211-7 (64.21m) on her fifth attempt, as she and Spotakova were the only ones to surpass the 60-meter mark during the competition.

Patterson, who entered the meet tied for second with South Africa's Sunette Viljoen in the Samsung Diamond League standings in the javelin, took sole possession of second, as Viljoen finished third.

Spotakova leads the event with 12 points. Patterson has 8, and Viljoen is one behind at 7.

In other events, former Husky Mart Israel of Estonia finished sixth in the men's discus, as he threw 213-3 (65.01m). Marysville-Pilchuck grad Jarred Rome was ninth with a toss of 203-1 (61.91m), as Israel's countryman Gerd Kanter won with a mark of 222-5 (67.81m).

Rainier Beach HS grad Ginnie Powell Crawford, who didn't finish her last race in Lausanne, placed fifth in the 100 meter hurdles in a time of 12.88, as Lolo Jones took the victory in 12.63.

In what turned out to be the fastest 1500 meter race of this season, Washington State University hall of famer Bernard Lagat finished seventh in a season best 3:32.51, as he was upstaged by 2008 US Olympic teammates Andrew Wheating (4th in 3:30.90), and Lopez Lomong (6th in 3:32.20), who ran personal bests in the race.

Kenya's Silas Kiplagat won the race with a world leading time of 3:29.27.

The Samsung Diamond League takes a two-week hiatus, as the European and African championships are contested next week. The circuit resumes on Friday August 6th with the DN Galan meet in Stockholm, Sweden.

Complete results from the Herculis Meeting can be accessed here.

WORLD JUNIORS RECAP--

In Moncton, New Brunswick, University Place resident and University of Kansas freshman Andrea Geubelle finished ninth in the triple jump.

Geubelle, a 2009 Curtis High School graduate, finished with a mark of 42-2 3/4 (12.87m), missing a chance to advance to the finals and an additional three jumps by four centimeters.

Geubelle, who will be a sophomore in the fall, also competed in the long jump qualifying World Junior Championships Thursday afternoon, but did not advance to the finals, jumping only 18-8 3/4 (5.71m).

Washington's Joe Zimmerman advanced to the finals of javelin with a throw of 230 feet (70.12 meters).

Zimmerman, who finished fourth at the NCAA Championships in the javelin last spring to earn All-America honors as a freshman and then went on to win the U.S. junior title, posted his qualifying throw in his first attempt. His distance of 70.12 meters was the seventh-best of the day among the 33 competitors.

The other American, Tahoma HS grad and Seatown Express member Derek Eager, threw 198-4 (60.47m), and did not advance to the finals.

Zimmerman, from Spokane, Wash., will compete along with 11 other finalists Friday evening. He is the lone American remaining in the competition. Latvian Zigismunds Sirmais posted the top mark in qualifying with a throw of 255-9 (77.97 meters).

Washington State freshman Holly Parent, the reigning Canadian junior champ, will compete for the host nation in the high jump qualifying Friday morning starting at 10 am, local time (6 am pacific time).

Results from the IAAF World Junior Championships can be accessed here.