On First Attempt, Malone-Hardin Throws 211-10 To Break Her Own National Championships Record

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

John Nepolitan photos

EUGENE, Ore. - All eyes were on Kara Winger and her improbable comeback at age 38. 

But Maggie Malone-Hardin took that attention away with one big throw to open the women's javelin competition Sunday at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials. 

Malone-Hardin, the one American woman with an Olympic standard, threw a meet-record 211-10 (64.58m), a distance that held up for the victory and a no-questions asked trip to Paris. 

INTERVIEWS | PHOTOS

Winger, who secured a World silver two years ago and then followed that with a Diamond League championship, took six more attempts at an Olympic Games qualifying standard (64.00m) and came up short. She finished second in the competition with 206-6 (62.94m). 

But with just four competitions, Winger can't amass enough points without the standard to make her fifth Olympic team. 

"I wanted to prove to myself that I could compete the way I would want to if I went to Paris, and I did not do that today," Winger said. "So, I'm all good."

Winger said she was at peace with the idea that this was her final competition. She retired again with no regrets. 

"I left 2022 as No. 1 in the world, and (other athletes) were like why would you ever want to mess that up," Winger said. "But I was not No. 1 in the world for 19 years, so it felt very strange to be done and be wondering if I left too early."

Winger made four Olympic teams and never made a final in any of them. 

Malone-Hardin will carry that torch and may have a reasonable chance to reach a final in Paris. She is ranked ninth in the world. 

She was emotional after her victory, and securing her third Olympic berth.

"I have almost quit this sport so many times," Malone-Hardin said. "If you had asked me two years ago, or at the end of last season, I was going to quit. Because it's so hard. This is the hardest team to make."

Madison Wiltrout, who broke the national high school record as a sophomore in 2015, threw a personal best 200-8 (61.17m) for third place and a spot on the podium. 

But Wiltrout, like Winger, doesn't have the Olympic qualifying standard.