6/30/08

EUGENE -- Kara Patterson of Vancouver had boundless reasons to celebrate.

She threw a U.S. Olympic trials record 191 feet, 9 inches in the javelin to place first Monday night. She was the top qualifier for the Olympic team. And she got to celebrate the feats in front of what was essentially a hometown crowd.

"I was really excited to be in the Northwest throwing, and had Beijing on my mind," Patterson said.