Malone punches ticket to Olympics in javelin

By Keeler McJunkin for DyeStat

EUGENE, Oregon -- Collegiate record holder Maggie Malone, a Texas A&M senior, took gold at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials Saturday, upsetting the two favorites in the women’s javelin with a top throw of 199 feet, 7 inches.

Malone, who had signed with Nike before the trials began, had the three farthest throws of the final. She beat one of her childhood idols, Kara Winger, who finished third.

“She’s amazing,” Malone said. “I’m just blessed to be able to compete with her. And to have her going to Rio with us is so great because she can kind of show me the ropes.”

Hannah Carson of Texas Tech came in second with a throw of 190 feet, 11 inches, but doesn’t have the standard and will not be a part of the team going to Rio.

“I wanna be down about it, but I can’t right now,” Carson said. “It’s still a great accomplishment to add to my resume.”

Winger (189-11) and Brittany Borman (185-8), the favorites coming into the final, finished third and fourth, respectively. Borman will take the last spot on the Olympic team because she hit the standard earlier this year.

“It wasn’t the best day for me today, but I gave it everything I had and I’m happy to make the team,” Borman said. “I feel bad for the people who competed well today but didn’t have the standard.”

Borman said she was nervous for Carson’s last throw: “She’s powerful and definitely could have gotten it.”

Winger, the American record holder, was competing in only her second event of the year after taking time off to recover from surgery on her non-throwing shoulder and finish her MBA. She will head to her third Olympic Games.

“All that matters is qualifying for the Olympic team,” Winger said. “I’m really excited to go to Rio. Healthy this time.”

Winger tore her ACL while finishing second at the 2012 Olympic trials and could only manage 15th place in the qualifying round at the London Games.

Winger said she’s feeling 97 percent healthy with the Olympics beginning in 27 days and that she’s feeling fresh after taking the extra time off to rest and finish her degree.  

With an Olympic trials gold now added to a resume that includes two NCAA championships, Malone isn’t satisfied with just qualifying for the Olympics. She wants more than that.

“Hopefully I can qualify for the finals at the Olympics and just take all that in,” Malone said. “Going into Rio, I want to work on the technique things because I have a long ways to go. I know I’m capable of more.”