In 2008, Kara Winger was a wide-eyed Purdue student stepping into her first Olympic Games.
In 2012, Winger – whose maiden name is Patterson – limped her way into the London Games with a torn anterior cruciate ligament.
It’s now 2016 and the American record holder in the javelin is healthy and prepared to contend for a medal. When Winger begins competition Tuesday in Rio, she’ll become the first Purdue female athlete to participate in three straight Olympic Games.
“It’s a little bit unreal at this point,” Winger said last month after finishing third at the U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene, Oregon. “Just how the first two went, especially the second one, I didn’t get everything out of it that I wanted. This feels the most real but it’s difficult to wrap my mind a little bit around the three straight.”
Diver David Boudia and track and field standouts Ray Ewry and Nedzad Mulanegobvic are the other Boilermakers to make at least three appearances. Ewry actually appeared in four Olympics from 1900-08.
A lot has changed in four years, especially in Winger’s world.
She lives in Colorado Springs, Colorado, with her husband of nearly two years, Russ, who throws the discus but didn’t qualify for the Olympics. She earned an MBA from DeVry University’s Keller School of Management through a partnership with the United States Olympic Committee. She is expected to receive her diploma this month.
To read the full article written by Mike Carmin, please visit Lafayette Journal & Courier.
