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Westmont Hilltop’s Karlee McQuillen hopes that London is calling today at the U.S. Track and Field Olympic Trials in Eugene, Oregon.
The Penn State University graduate enters today’s finals ranked third in the javelin throw behind American record holder Kara Patterson and top seed Rachel Yurkovich. The top two finishers will advance to the London Olympic Games beginning on July 27.
“The competition is really, really, really good,” McQuillen said during a Saturday telephone interview. “To be going into the finals in third place is an awesome accomplishment in itself but of course you’re not here to come in third. You’re here to come in first and go to the Olympic Games.
“I’m looking for really big things. I’ve got to go to practice and concentrate on the technique and know I’m ready to go. You can’t overanalyze and over-try.”
McQuillen had a personal best throw of 55.73 meters (182 feet, 10 inches) on Friday. Her qualifying toss came on her second attempt.
A total of 24 competitors threw on Friday, and 12 of those advanced to today’s finals. Patterson had a throw of 60.49 meters (198-5), and Yurkovich had a toss of 56.42 meters (185-1). The Olympic qualifying distance is 61 meters (200-1).
“I have mixed feelings about it,” McQuillen said. “I’m happy I made it to the finals in third place. I’m happy I threw a new PR (personal record). I was anticipating and hoping to really open up – 57 meters plus. I was really happy with the way it went. It can only get better.”
McQuillen graduated from Penn State with a degree in health policy and administration in 2011. She earned a bronze medal in the NCAA Division I Championship event in 2010 and finished in the top 10 at nationals during all four of her seasons. A Big Ten champion and All-American, McQuillen made an important career move after her graduation from Penn State.
“The biggest step was leaving Pennsylvania,” she said. “I decided to move to Gainesville, Fla., to train with the (University of Florida) Gators. That’s the biggest transition I’ve ever had in athletics. It was a huge step.
“At first I was a little timid. It’s not a guaranteed spot. It’s just a chance to try your hardest to make it. I had to move in order to get where I am today. I had to get the training that’s available there. I’ve had some highs and some lows but that comes with every athletic endeavor.”
McQuillen, who also won two state titles while throwing for Westmont Hilltop, serves as a volunteer coach while training with the Gators.
All of her training and accomplishments have led McQuillen to Hayward Field on the University of Oregon campus.
“It’s kind of crazy. The two (competitors) ahead of me, their technique is perfect as far as I’m concerned,” McQuillen said. “I’ve got to remember to relax and not try too hard.
“I have to trust my training. I have the mechanics. I have to put them all together for that one big throw. I have to relax and have a good time.”
And what about a possible trip to London with the U.S. Olympic team?
“I would be lying if I said I hadn’t thought about the Olympics,” McQuillen said. “But once you get there in your head, that’s all you think about and you start overanalyzing. You start getting into your own head. Yes, I think about it. But no, I try not to think about it.”
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Related Photos
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Karlee McQuillen, a Westmont Hilltop graduate, competes in the javelin qualifying round Friday at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials in Eugene, Ore. Matt Slocum
Discussion
McQuillen ‘looking for really big things’ at trials
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