Vancouver WA's Patterson throws 209-10, defeats Yurkovich in USATF javelin


EUGENE – Kara Patterson had a huge throw of 209 feet 10 inches in Round 5 of the women’s javelin to win the event and turn back her rival from across the Columbia River, Rachel Yurkovich, in the USATF national championships on Saturday.

Patterson, a senior at Purdue University who hails from Vancouver, Wash., had been languishing in 6th place, at 170-8. She improved almost 40 feet with that throw.

Yurkovich, the Oregon senior, finished 2nd at 194-7. Patterson and Yurkovich both qualified for the U.S. team going to the World Championships in August in Berlin. Yurkovich had defeated Patterson in the recent NCAA championships, but was beaten by her in last year’s Olympic Trials.

Patterson’s throw was just off the American record of 210-7, held by Kim Kreiner. Kreiner finished 3rd here, with a throw of 190-3. Patterson, 23, is a 2004 graduate of Skyview High School.

 “I really struggled at the beginning of the competition,” Patterson said. “If I hadn’t thrown 52 meters on my third attempt, I wouldn’t have even made the finals, so it was really up-and-down. I knew if I hit the block hard I would have a good throw, and when I let it go, I didn’t think it was going to be that far, but I knew it was going to be good.”
 
Yurkovich was not disappointed. “I feel really good,” she said. “I get to go to Worlds, and it will be fun to go to Berlin. It will be a really good experience.”
 
In the Juniors meet, Elijah Greer of Lake Oswego, left,  and Kellie Schueler of Bend both advanced to finals.
 
Greer, the defending champion of the men’s 800, won Heat I in 1:52.16. Schueler won Heat I of the women’s 400 in 54.37, just off her personal best. She had been eliminated earlier in the day in the 200, running 24.34.
 
Two Oregon girls advanced to the 1,500 final, Kayleigh Tyerman (4:31.96) and Taylor Wallace (4:32.76). They will face future Oregon Duck Jordan Hasay, who won Heat I in 4:28.96.
 
In the girls’ javelin, Lakeridge H.S. teammates Lexi Ross (142-8) and Andrea Hopkins (139-5) finished 5th and 6th respectively, behind winner Casey Wagner (150-0) of the University of South Florida. Haley Crouser, the 8th-grader from Gresham, threw 130-6 for 11th place (pictured above right.)  She missed the final by just 3 feet. Her brother Sam is scheduled to compete in the Junior men’s javelin on Sunday.