West Salem grad Keira McCarrell makes immediate impact for Oregon Ducks

EUGENE — High winds and fierce showers aren’t ideal weather conditions for any athlete, let alone a javelin thrower.

But that’s what former West Salem standout Keira McCarrell, now a freshman on the Oregon track and field team, faced last week as the Ducks hosted the Pepsi Invitational at Hayward Field.

McCarrell came through with a second-place finish in the meet with a throw of 45.14 meters as she continues her impressive freshman season at Oregon.

“I was pretty excited about my mark considering how the weather was going,” said McCarrell, who finished the Pepsi Invitational behind only Washington State’s Atina Kamasi, who had a throw of 45.27 meters. “I just wanted to keep a straight target and follow through with how I’ve normally been throwing in practice, and it went OK.”

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McCarrell is competing in both the javelin and heptathlon for the Ducks this outdoor season, after competing in the pentathlon during the indoor season.

At the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation championships in the indoor season, McCarrell placed 13th in the pentathlon, which consists of the 60-meter hurdles, high jump, shot put, long jump and 800 meters.

The indoor season provided McCarrell with a valuable learning experience, and in particular, she noticed how confident the veteran athletes were in big events.

“The confidence that they all bring to the table, I think that’s definitely something that I’m picking up on,” she said. “And just being a good competitor. I need to stay competitive and aggressive, and that’s definitely something I’m working on.”

To open the outdoor season this spring, McCarrell set a personal best and placed first in the javelin event at the Aztec Invitational in San Diego with a throw of 47.16 meters.

And now after the Pepsi Invitational, McCarrell is preparing for the Bryan Clay Invitational, set for April 19-20 in Azusa, California, where she’ll compete in the heptathlon, which consists of the 100-meter hurdles, high jump, shot put, 200 meters, long jump, javelin throw and 800 meters.

“I’m really nervous,” McCarrell said. “But I think I’m ready. I’m so ready.”

McCarrell won the OSAA Class 6A state championship last year in the javelin for West Salem. McCarrell, who has dual citizenship, then competed in the Pan American U20 Championships in Peru last summer for Team Canada.

McCarrell has a variety of goals this season, and they include hitting the world junior qualifier marks for Canada in both the javelin (50 meters) and heptathlon (5,300 points).

“Those marks for sure are numbers that I want to hit,” McCarrell said.

McCarrell’s other goals include qualifying for the NCAA championships in both the javelin and heptathlon. The NCAA meet once again will be hosted by the Ducks at Hayward Field, set for June 6-9. The Oregon women’s program is the defending NCAA national champion.

“I want to make it to nationals in both,” McCarrell said. “But my main goal is to make it to nationals in the javelin. Right now, that is my main focus.”

McCarrell said she is feeling strong this spring, with the help of her coaching staff at Oregon. She is closely monitoring her diet and workouts, and she said she’s ready to reach her goals.

“My training has been going so well. The coaches have been doing such a good job of making sure I’m fresh and staying healthy. They are really on top of making sure I’m mentally and physically at my prime,” McCarrell said.

"People should be scared. I’m ready to come out this outdoor season.”

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