Winger puts herself in rare company with ninth national crown in javelin at USATF Outdoors...
EUGENE--Talk about coming through when it matters.
In her final national championship meet, Vancouver native Kara Winger (Paul Merca photo) not only won her ninth career US national title, but the 36-year old rifled the javelin past the 64 meter mark to earn the world championship standard and assure herself a spot on the world championship team for the sixth time in her career Saturday afternoon at the Toyota USATF Outdoor Championships at Historic Hayward Field on the campus of the University of Oregon.
Winger started the day with a first round throw of 191-7 (58.40m), and followed with a foul and a throw of 191-2 (58.28m) to find herself in third after three rounds.
Her good friend and fellow Tokyo Olympian Ariana Ince put some pressure on the field after taking the lead in the third round with a throw of 198-3 (60.42m), then followed it up with a near identical mark of 198-3, with the javelin traveling one centimeter further to 60.43m.
Winger took the lead from Ince in round 5 with a throw of 198-4 (60.46m) after fouling the previous round.
As the final thrower in the sixth round, Winger aimed her spear towards the giant video board at the north end of Historic Hayward Field and watched the javelin travel a season best 210-10 (64.26m), 26 centimeters past the world championship standard of 210-0 (64.00m). She was mobbed by her fellow competitors once the mark was verified.
"I've watched a lot of people have magical Hayward moments over my very long career, and have never been the one to throw the standard at the last moment. That was extremely special for my last national championship," she told USA Track & Field in the mixed zone after the victory.
She joins an elite group of women who have won six or more national titles in their career. That list includes Gail Devers, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, and Sanya Richards-Ross.
Courtesy of NBC Sports, here is video of Winger's final throw:
.@karathrowsjav throws 64.26m in women's javelin to claim the national title and has qualified for the world championships.
— NBC Olympics (@NBCOlympics) June 25, 2022
The support she received from her competitors was another bonus. ❤️ @OnHerTurf @usatf | #USATFOutdoors pic.twitter.com/u16OgzcQmF
Connell native and NCAA champ Ashton Riner of BYU finished fourth with a best of 185-5 (56.52m), while Vashon native Virginia Miller of Stanford was 15th at 159-1 (48.50m).
In a very tactical men's 1500, UW volunteer coach Sam Prakel took the lead entering the last lap, but was run down and finished eighth in 3:46.49, as Cooper Teare won the race in 3:45.86.
Washington State alum Paul Ryan was ninth in 3:46.60, and Henry Wynne of the Brooks Beasts finished 12th in 3:48.03.
Fellow WSU alum Brock Eager placed seventh in the finals of the men's hammer, throwing a season best 242-11 (74.04m), while Trey Knight of Ridgefield and USC was 15th at 229-7 (69.99m).
Kenneth Rooks of BYU from just outside Walla Walla was tenth in the 3000 steeplechase finals, running 8:37.17.
In the semis of the mens 400 hurdles, Washington State alum CJ Allen finished third in his heat to advance to Sunday's finals, running 48.75. Washington's Cass Elliott was sixth in his heat, running 50.68.
The first round of the men's 110 hurdles saw former Renton resident Devon Allen advance easily to Sunday's semifinals, winning his heat in 13.27. Washington State alums Nick Johnson (13.94) and Sam Brixey (13.94) along with Eastern Washington alum Parker Bowden (14.13) did not advance.
Because of heat concerns, Sunday's meet schedule has been shifted, with the women's and men's 5000 meter runs now at 10:30 and 10:53 am.
The women's 3000 steeple finals will be run at 11:15 am, and the final event of the Toyota USATF Outdoor Championships will be the men's 110 hurdles final at 1:54 pm.
Below is the list of athletes with Washington ties competing Sunday:
10:30 5000m Women Final
Allie Buchalski Brooks Beasts 15:15.77
Eleanor Fulton 15:20.12
Allie Ostrander 15:26.50
10:53 5000m Men Final
Dillon Maggard 13:13.62
11:15 3000m Steeplechase Women Final
Kayley DeLay Yale 9:25.08
Katie Rainsberger New Balance 9:30.18
12:00 110m Hurdles Men Semi-Final
Devon Allen NIKE 12.84
1:04 800m Men Final
Isaiah Harris BROOKS Beasts TC 1:44.51
Brannon Kidder BROOKS Beasts TC 1:44.99
1:14 400m Hurdles Men Final
CJ Allen 48.76
1:24 800m Women Final
Brooke Feldmeier adidas 1:59.44
1:54 110m Hurdles Men Final
Devon Allen NIKE 12.84
Complete day 3 results of the Toyota USATF Outdoor Championships are available here.
USATF U20 DAY 2 RECAP...
In the USATF Under-20 championships, Washington's Nathan Green (photo courtesy TrackTown USA) took control of the race in the men's 1500 to take the victory in 3:45.19 and earn a place on the world championship team that will head to Colombia.
Joining Green on the trip to Colombia are twins Amanda and Hana Moll of Capital HS in Olympia, who went 1-2 in the women's pole vault, with both clearing 14-3.25 (4.35m), with Amanda taking the win on fewer misses.
Incoming UW freshman Sarah Ferguson and Bainbridge HS standout Ella McRitchie both failed to clear the opening height of 13-3.5 (4.05m).
Washington freshman Matthew Wilkinson finished fifth in the finals of the 400 hurdles in 52.15.
Emerald Ridge HS freshman JaiCieonna Gero-Holt, who finished second in the heptathlon and was looking to qualify in the high jump, finished fifth with a best of 5-8.75 (1.75m).
Sydney Collier of Skyline HS in Sammamish finished fifth in the women's 3000 in 10:13.33.
Complete results of the USATF U20 Championships are available here.
NOTE: USA Track & Field contributed to this report.
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