Born and mostly raised in Washington, Kara Winger started throwing the javelin at Skyview High School in 2001. An immediate talent, she won three Washington State High School Championships before moving on to Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. After three Big Ten Championships, two NCAA All-American honors and her Olympic Games debut in Beijing in 2008, she graduated in 2009 with a B.S. in Nutrition, Fitness and Health and a minor in Art and Design. Weeks after her Purdue graduation, Kara threatened the American Record with a big personal best in the course of earning her second USA Track and Field National Championship.
A move to the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, California, and a year of training with coaches Ty Sevin and Jamie Myers saw her set a new American Record of 66.67m/218’9” in 2010, earn a third national title, and end the season ranked seventh in the world by Track and Field News. Various injuries that followed didn't stop Kara from making the London and Rio Olympic Teams, threatening her own national record and earning silver at the Pan American Games in 2015. Kara became a World Championships finalist in Beijing in 2015, winning four more national championships for a total of seven in her career.
She owns the most career throws over 200 feet in the history of American female throwers by far. Now living with husband Russ in his hometown of Colorado Springs, Kara enjoys teaching Maddie the yellow lab new tricks, cooking in the kitchen the couple renovated themselves, and spending time in the great outdoors. After finishing a Masters in Business Administration in 2016, she has more time to devote to remembering how to play the piano and practicing her photography habit.