WITH ONLY 2 COMING IN having met the Olympic standard, the event wasn’t so much about selecting the U.S. team but rather about whether the current or former holder of the American Record could claim the title.
That former is 35-year-old Kara Winger, the top American competitor in the spear over the past decade and still owner of 8 of the first 10 slots on the all-time U.S. list.
The current is Maggie Malone, 27, who began her challenge to Winger’s dominance with a win in the ’16 Trials and made her case even stronger with a 219-3 (66.82) this May, taking down Winger’s 218-8 (66.67) from ’10.
For the first four rounds, Winger made it clear she wasn’t ready to pass the mantle on just yet. She held the lead after round 1 with a 201-8 (61.47), followed by a 201-2 (61.32). Meanwhile, Malone couldn’t crack 200, her 199-3 (60.74) in round 2 coming closest.
Finally, in the fifth, Malone uncorked the big one, launching a Meet Record 208-4 (63.50), removing Brittany Borman from the books (201-9/61.51 from ’12). Neither Malone nor Winger improved in the last stanza.
“I was nervous,” Malone said. “I’m sure everyone could see that. I couldn’t feel my legs through it, that’s what you saw [in] the series I did.”
She said USA Javelin Project coach Tom Pukstys helps her overcome those jitters: “Tom’s really good at getting my head right. Before I threw 63, he said, ‘Maggie, remember all those practices where I told you to be Maggie Malone. I’m going to tell you to do it right now. You know how to execute this and attack it.’”
Winger said she was pleased with her 2nd-place effort given her struggles with injury. “I am thrilled,” she said. “Season best by half a meter.” Now 10 months past ACL surgery, “Physically I am there and ready to have my best Olympics for sure.”
Behind the big battle, Avione Allgood-Whetstone rode her 193-4 (58.94) PR to 3rd, but not a trip to Tokyo, the standard of 210-0 (64.00) being well beyond her reach. It is quite possible that 4th-placer Ariana Ince (188-7/57.49), will slip onto the team due to her 15th in the current WA rankings.
WOMEN’S JAVELIN RESULTS
(June 26)
1. Maggie Malone (unat) 208-4 (63.50) (MR)
(193-5, 199-3, f, 186-9, 208-4, 197-1) (58.96, 60.74, f, 56.92, 63.50, 60.07);
2. Kara Winger (TracksmNYAC) 201-8 (61.47)
(201-8, 201-2, 186-1, f, 200-9, 197-3) (61.47, 61.32, 56.72, f, 61.18, 60.12);
3. Avione Allgood-Whetstone (USAr) 193-4 (58.94) PR
(186-6, 193-4, 185-11, 184-5, f, f) (56.86, 58.94, 56.66, 56.23, f, f);
4. Ariana Ince (Vel) 188-7 (57.49)
(180-7, f, f, 188-7, f, f) (55.04, f, f, 57.49, f, f);
5. Kylee Carter (Aub) 181-4 (55.28)
(163-11, 174-8, 181-4, f, f, f) (49.96, 53.25, 55.28, f, f, f);
6. Virginia Miller (Stan) 175-10 (53.59)
(175-10, 161-11, f, 162-9, 158-2, f) (53.59, 49.35, f, 49.60, 48.22, f);
7. Maura Fiamoncini (Buck) 170-3 (51.91)
(164-3, f, 170-3, 146-7, p, 159-1) (50.06, f, 51.91, 44.68, p, 48.50);
8. Chantae McMillan (DayTC) 168-6 (51.36)
(160-11, 152-0, 168-6, f, f, f) (49.04, 46.32, 51.36, f, f, f);
9. Maddie Harris (Nb) 167-10 (51.16)
(149-2, 150-5, 167-10) (45.48, 45.85, 51.16);
10. Madison Wiltrout (NC) 166-9 (50.82)
(153-7, 166-9, 162-3) (46.82, 50.82, 49.47);
11. Claire Meyers (LaL) 156-6 (47.71)
(146-7, 156-6, f) (44.68, 47.71, f);
12. Katelyn Fairchild (unat) 146-4 (44.61)
(137-10, 146-4, 144-3) (42.03, 44.61, 43.98).
QUALIFYING (June 25)
Qualifiers: Malone 195-7 (59.62), Winger 192-10 (58.78), Ince 188-8 (57.52), Allgood-Whetstone 182-0 (55.48), Carter 178-2 (54.30), Fiamoncini 174-4 (53.14), Wiltrout 172-9 (52.67), Harris 169-4 (51.63), McMillan 167-11 (51.18), Meyers 161-6 (49.22), Miller 161-3 (49.15), Fairchild 160-11 (49.05);
Non-qualifiers: Ashley Carter (Aub) 157-8 (48.06), Sarah Blake (MsSt) 157-5 (47.98), Kari Wolfe (NDSt) 156-7 (47.72), Carley Vonheeder (MtStB) 156-2 (47.61), Sydney Juszczyk (UltSpA) 156-1 (47.58), Danielle Collier (SlipR) 155-2 (47.29), Emma Foster (Navy) 153-4 (46.75), Ashton Riner (BYU) 153-3 (46.73), Madison Smith (PennSt) 150-8 (45.93), Katie Reichert (unat) 146-9 (44.74), Casey Bogues (Day) 143-2 (43.64).
