WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue track & field alumna Kara (Patterson) Winger qualified for her fourth Olympic Games in the javelin at the U.S. Olympic Trials at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.
Winger was second overall in the javelin throw on Saturday with a season-best throw of 61.47 meters. The mark came on her first of six throws in the final. Winger was one of just two athletes to have a throw of at least 60.00 meters, which she recorded on four of her six attempts.
A 2009 Purdue graduate, Winger is the second current or former Purdue track & field athlete to officially qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, joining fellow alumnus Chukwuebuka Enekwechi, who will compete for Nigeria in the shot put.
The 2020 Tokyo games will be Winger's fourth, along with 2008, 2012 and 2016. She owns the Purdue record (61.56m in 2008) in the javelin and held the American record (66.67m in 2010). At the NCAA Championships, Winger won silver in 2009 and was fifth in 2008, and she is a two-time Big Ten Outdoor Athlete of the Year. She won Big Ten javelin titles in 2005, 2008 and 2009. Winger is an eight-time USATF national champion and has competed at five IAAF World Championships.
Along with Winger and Enekwechi, five other Boilermakers are competing at their respective country's Olympic Trials from June 19-28. This weekend, senior Samson Colebrooke, junior Tamar Greene and Purdue alums Devynne Charlton and Kinard Rolle are participating in the Bahamas Olympic Trial. Freshman Marcellus Moore ran in the 100-meters at the U.S. Olympic Trials last weekend, where he was 17th overall in 10.14w seconds.
Details on how to follow along as each Boilermaker competes for a spot at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games can be found at PurdueSports.com/TrackField.
For more on the Purdue track & field and cross country program, visit PurdueSports.com/TrackField and follow and connect with the Boilermakers on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Winger was second overall in the javelin throw on Saturday with a season-best throw of 61.47 meters. The mark came on her first of six throws in the final. Winger was one of just two athletes to have a throw of at least 60.00 meters, which she recorded on four of her six attempts.
A 2009 Purdue graduate, Winger is the second current or former Purdue track & field athlete to officially qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, joining fellow alumnus Chukwuebuka Enekwechi, who will compete for Nigeria in the shot put.
The 2020 Tokyo games will be Winger's fourth, along with 2008, 2012 and 2016. She owns the Purdue record (61.56m in 2008) in the javelin and held the American record (66.67m in 2010). At the NCAA Championships, Winger won silver in 2009 and was fifth in 2008, and she is a two-time Big Ten Outdoor Athlete of the Year. She won Big Ten javelin titles in 2005, 2008 and 2009. Winger is an eight-time USATF national champion and has competed at five IAAF World Championships.
Along with Winger and Enekwechi, five other Boilermakers are competing at their respective country's Olympic Trials from June 19-28. This weekend, senior Samson Colebrooke, junior Tamar Greene and Purdue alums Devynne Charlton and Kinard Rolle are participating in the Bahamas Olympic Trial. Freshman Marcellus Moore ran in the 100-meters at the U.S. Olympic Trials last weekend, where he was 17th overall in 10.14w seconds.
Details on how to follow along as each Boilermaker competes for a spot at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games can be found at PurdueSports.com/TrackField.
For more on the Purdue track & field and cross country program, visit PurdueSports.com/TrackField and follow and connect with the Boilermakers on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.