Winger wins javelin gold at Pan-Am Games

A change of hemispheres suited Kara Winger well.

The three-time Olympian threw a season-best mark on Friday to win javelin gold at the Pan-American Games in Lima, Peru.

Winger, a Skyview High School graduate, won with a throw of 213 feet (64.92 meters). It was her best mark since 2015 and large improvement over her recent results in Europe, where she surpassed 200 feet once in her past five competitions there.

This is the second Pan-Am Games for Winger, who won silver four years ago in Toronto. The American record holder in the women’s javelin, Winger is one of two captains for Team USA at this year’s event.

Winger’s winning throw came on her second of six attempts, all of which traveled more than 200 feet.

Canada’s Elizabeth Gleadle placed second, six feet behind Winger. American Ariana Ince, who beat Winger at the USA Championships on July 25, placed third.

Alexa Efraimson, a Camas High grad, marked her Pan-Am debut with a third-place finish in the 1,500 meters on Friday.

Efraimson hung with the lead group and finished in 4 minutes, 8.63 seconds. American Nikki Hiltz (4:07.14) won the race, followed by Jamaican Aisha Praught (4:08.26).

The Pan-Am Games, held every four years, gathers athletes from North America, Central America, South America and the Caribbean.