Kara Patterson returned to health last year.
She has now returned to championship form.
Patterson, a Skyview High School graduate, won her fifth national javelin title, taking first place Thursday night at the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Sacramento, Calif.
Patterson also won titles from 2008 to 2011. In 2012, she tore her anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee while finishing second in the U.S. Olympic Trials. She still competed at the London Games that summer but then had surgery and endured a 10-month rehabilitation program.
Patterson returned to action last summer and finished third at the national championships.
She is back on top now.
Patterson recorded a throw of 204 feet, 10 inches to beat Brittany Borman of New York, who had a mark of 203-7.
Patterson was in third place after the first attempt for all 15 athletes in the event. She moved into first place with a 196-2 on her second throw. She and Borman had their best distances on their third throws. The top eight athletes after the first three attempts got three more throws, but no other athlete broke the 190-foot barrier.
