Kara Patterson named USA Track & Field athlete of the week after American record performance...

INDIANAPOLIS--Kara Patterson, a graduate of Vancouver's Skyview High School, and a 2008 Olympian, has been named USA Track & Field's Athlete of the Week after setting an American record in the women's javelin on June 25th at the 2010 USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships at Drake Stadium in Des Moines, Iowa.

Patterson, who resides at the US Olympic training center in Chula Vista, California, won her third consecutive U.S. women's javelin throw title with her final attempt that soared to 66.67m/218-8, which bettered the previous AR of 64.19/210-7 set by Kim Kreiner in 2007.

Earlier in the competition, Patterson twice hurled the spear to the third-farthest distance in U.S. history, beginning with her third-round throw of 62.61m/205-5, followed by her toss in the fifth-round of 62.80m/206-0. Patterson's impressive performance makes her the 13th best performer all-time.

Patterson is entered in Saturday's Nike Prefontaine Classic at Eugene's Hayward Field, where she will face Olympic champion Barbora Spotaktova of the Czech Republic, the current world record holder in the event, as well as the reigning Olympic champ from Beijing. Patterson is also entered in the Harry Jerome Track Classic on Monday July 5th in Burnaby, BC.

Patterson's certainly benefited from setting the American record, as she posted on her Twitter account that she's been invited to compete in the Diamond League meet in Monte Carlo on July 22nd. She went nearly a month between the Tuscon Elite meet in May and the USA championships without a competition, due to visa problems required to enter Brazil, and being rejected by European meet promoters.

NOTE: USA Track & Field contributed to this report.