Thaete finishes 12th at Nike Outdoor Nationals

EUGENE, Ore. — Sandpoint High rising senior Jetta Thaete, representing the Iron Wood Track Club of Rathdrum, showed off her javelin skills on the national level Sunday at Nike Outdoor Track & Field Nationals held at the University of Oregon's Hayward Field.

Thaete, who tossed a new school record throw of 138 feet, 10 inches in the event to claim a 5A State Championship this past spring, the No. 1 mark in the state of Idaho, finished 12th out of 35 competitors at the national meet with a distance of 134 feet, 5 inches — her second-best throw to date.

Thaete competed in the "Championship" division and was up against athletes from California, Missouri, Texas, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Washington, Utah, Florida and Arizona. Combined with athletes from the "Emerging Elite" division, which saw additional representation from Oklahoma, Iowa, Kansas, Montana, New Hampshire, Ohio and Massachusetts, Thaete's throw would have finished 12th out of all 84 competitors.