Inspired Kara Winger leads women’s javelin qualifying in return to US Olympic Track and Field Trials

EUGENE – Kara Winger, who never retired, led the women’s javelin qualifier Friday at the U.S. Olympic Trials at Hayward Field.

The winger threw 206 feet, 8 inches to qualify for Sunday’s final, showing that at 38 years old, she still has what it takes to compete at the world level.

The last time she was seen on the Hayward Field infield, Winger won the silver medal at the 2022 World Outdoor Championships. She did it in a fairytale way, with her final throw of the competition, as fans cheered on from her hometown of Vancouver, Washington.

It was meant to cap a career that included four Olympic appearances. She announced she would retire at the end of the 2022 season.

Well, about that.

“I still can’t believe the miracle of 2022,” Winger said. “It was so much fun.”

She couldn’t shake the feeling and discussed it with her husband, former discus thrower Russ Winger.

“Russ and I talked a lot – even for his career – about what it would have meant to slow down training a little in his older years and trust in the 20 years of work we’ve done,” Winger said. “Then exploiting the intensity with better technical understanding.

“Last year I thought it would be fun.”

In the meantime, Winger writes articles for the TrackTown USA website as an accredited member of the media. According to USA Track & Field, she is the only member of the media who also attends the Olympic trials.

She said she enjoyed her time at TrackTown. But she wondered what might happen if she picked up her javelin and returned to competition.

She took her time making the decision to train away from prying eyes and not pull the trigger on this year’s trials until late May. She showed up June 9 at the New York Grand Prix, where she threw 207-5. Not bad for someone who had been away for two years.

She’s not only the oldest state athlete in this year’s javelin competition. She might just be the best.

“I’m 38 years old,” Winger said. “Some of these girls weren’t born when I competed in the 2004 Olympic Trials. It’s crazy. I’m totally okay with that. It really inspired me to be around them and see the world through their eyes. To see them PB (get a personal best) at the Olympic Trials is really cool. I’ve never done that.”

Winger did not meet this year’s Olympic standard for the women’s javelin throw, which is 210 feet, 0 inches. But she is not far from it. And even if she doesn’t reach 210 feet on Sunday, she could still qualify for the Olympics based on world rankings. The final ranking will be published on July 7.

“If I can do it, cool,” Winger said. “If I can’t, I haven’t been No. 1 in the world many times before. So I’m also completely at peace with that reality.

Here are the results of the Olympic trials: https://results.usatf.org/2024trials/

— Ken Goe for The Oregonian/OregonLive