At 38, The 2022 World Silver Medalist Has Come Out Of Retirement To Pursue Something She Really Wants

By Lori Shontz for DyeStat

Tim Healy photos

EUGENE – Kara Winger tried to nap Friday before javelin qualifying at the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials, and she couldn’t. Her heart was pounding too hard. Even though she’d competed five times previously at the Trials, she found herself “extremely nervous” leading up to Olympic Trials No. 6.

She decided it was a good thing: “That means I care a lot, and that’s a really fun thing to feel.”

Winger, 38, a four-time Olympian, had retired after the 2022 season when she was at the top of her game. She captured a silver medal at the 2022 World Athletics Championships at Hayward Field with a dramatic final throw, set the American record of 223-7 (68.11m) at a Diamond League in Brussels six weeks later and then won the Diamond League final.

INTERVIEWS | PHOTOS 

But she was restless in retirement, even though she has enjoyed working as a “throws ambassador” for Tracktown USA, and she decided to return to competition.

She’s not lost much – she was the top qualifier for Sunday’s final with a throw of 206-8 (63.01m), ahead of Maggie Malone-Hardin, the only woman who has the Olympic standard of 64 meters.

Malone-Hardin took only one throw, happy with a mark of 204-9 (62.40m) to qualify second, followed by Avione Allgood, who also took one throw, at a season-best 194-9 (59.37m).

Winger took all three throws, using every possible chance to get the Olympic standard.

“I should have used those nerves better to start off,” Winger said. “I tried to really control myself in Round One. I didn’t really embrace the attention until Round Two. I won’t make that mistake on Sunday. Every single throw matters. Every single throw could be 64 meters, and I know I have that in me.”

Winger said she had been talking with her husband and coach, Russ, about what it would look like to compete as an older athlete who might train differently – “trust those 20 years of work that you put in and tap into intensity sometimes.” She decided to return to competition about two weeks before the New York Grand Prix on June 9. She won with a throw of 207-5 (63.22m).

Part of the reason for 2022 success, Winger thinks, is that she changed her mentality – she announced ahead of time that it would be her final season. “I can’t believe the miracle of 2022 still,” she said.

This time, she also has limited opportunities. This is only her second competition since returning, and she must hit the Olympic standard in Sunday’s final.

Winger has experience at this. At the 2022 USATF Outdoor Championships, she needed to finish in the top three and hit the standard to qualify for worlds. She moved from third to first place on her fifth throw, then got the standard on her final throw, 210-10 (64.26m).

But this time, she said, is still different.

“I’ve never put myself in this situation before,” she said. “To say, like, I want this. I’m OK if I don’t get this. But I want this and I believe that I can do it, and I have to do it right now.”

In other field event qualifying:

Hayward Field favorite Jaida Ross of Oregon qualified third for the women’s shot put final, throwing 63-10.25 (19.46m) on her second throw. Two-time world champion Chase Jackson was the top qualifier (64-6, 19.66m), followed by Raven Saunders (64-1.25, 19.54m). One other woman threw over 19 meters: Adelaide Aquilla (63-2, 19.25m).

In the men’s hammer throw, four-time national champion Rudy Winkler qualified first with a throw of 252-11 (77.08m), followed by Justin Stafford with a personal best 249-9 (76.12m)

The women’s pole vault needed only three heights to cut the field to 13 women. Sandi Morris and Katie Moon each qualified with one jump at 14-9 (4.50m). Kristen Leland cleared two heights with no misses, and NCAA champion Chloe Timberg, Marissa Kalsey, Gabriela Leon and Hana Moll cleared all three heights with no misses.

Amanda Moll needed three jumps at 13-9.25 and two at 14-3.25, but she cleared 14-9 on her first attempt and joined her twin in the final.

In the men’s triple jump, Russell Robinson of Miami (Florida) led all qualifiers with a jump of 56-2.75 (17.14m), followed by Salif Mane of Fairleigh Dickinson at 55-8.25 (16.97), which he achieved on his third jump after two fouls, and Donald Scott at 55-0.25. Scott is the only American with the Olympic standard.