SACRAMENTO - The way Caira Hane figured it, she had nothing to lose as competition in the women's hammer throw at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships neared its conclusion Saturday morning.
So, the University of Nevada senior just went for it - with favorable results.
Hane unleashed personal and school record throws on her final two attempts to capture eighth-place and All-America recogntion in the hammer final at Hornet Stadium. She finished with a best throw of 202 feet, 11 inches and scored one point for Nevada in the team standings.
Georgia's Jenny Dahlgren, the collegiate record holder, won the event with a throw of 226-5. USC freshman Eva Orban was second at 221-0.
For Hane, it was a successful finish to a successful career in which she twice qualified for the nationals at Nevada. Hane broke her own school record of 200-8 set in qualifying on Thursday.
"This was most definitely the way to finish it," Nevada coach Shantel Twiggs said. "To do the best you can and p.r. in the last two rounds at the national championships, I think every thrower wishes it could be this way."
Hane moved from ninth-place to seventh with a 200-9 in the fifth round. She was even better in the sixth round to end it.
"I came here ranked 17th or 18th, so there was no pressure," Hane said. "Nobody knew who I was, so I just went out and did what I've been doing in practice and warmups. I was like, 'I have one more throw, ever, let's see what happens.'"
Obviously, the result was a good one.
"All the work she put in with her coach, Heather Hendrix-Holmes ... the redshirt year last year ... it was all for this moment," Twiggs said.
"Hane graduated with a degree in criminal justice last month and now the product of Hillsboro, Ore., is in the process of applying to law school in the fall. At the moment, she doesn't plan to compete anymore.
"I don't see myself going on, but you never know," she said. "If I start missing it, I have a great coach here, I may be back for another try."