Purdue's Kara Patterson misses Olympic finals WEST LAFAYETTE, IN (wbaa) - A member of the Purdue track and field team will not participate in the Olympic javelin finals.

Kara Patterson managed a throw of 178 feet, five inches in qualifying rounds in Beijing yesterday.

That placed her 22nd out of 27 in her qualifying group.

Patterson is the first female from the Purdue track and field program to reach the Olympics.

The 22 year-old senior was the USA Olympic Trials Champion, setting an event record of 191 feet, nine inches and became the second American woman to surpass the 200 foot barrier during the Boilermakers 2008 season. © Copyright 2009, wbaa