Chaput suffers injury at Yale meet

For Brian Chaput, this weekend hurt in more ways than one.

The 2004 Penn graduate arrived at Yale's Summer Javelin Festival, which took place in New Haven, Conn., this past weekend, ready to heave his way to the Olympics.

His family and friends had made the short drive from his home town, East Haven, to watch what everyone expected to be a great triumph.

Chaput's hamstring, however, had other ideas.

After the best of his first three throws traveled only 71.10 meters, well short of the Olympic "A" standard of 81.80 meters, Chaput pulled his hamstring just as the spear was leaving his hand on his fourth throw.

"Unfortunately, it didn't turn out exactly as I would have hoped," he deadpanned in an interview after returning home earlier this week.

Chaput is now left with two opportunities to qualify for Athens, in the form of meets this coming Wednesday and the following Saturday at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, Calif.

"It's hard to tell how serious it [the injury] is right now," he said. "I'm hoping it's just minor, so more than likely, either way I'm flying out to California on Saturday."

Technically, Chaput will have four chances to qualify in Chula Vista. There will be two meets each day, with one meet comprising of six throws per competitor.

"I'm going to have to listen to my body and see how my body feels," he said. "If I can get the hamstring back to 90 percent, I'm going to give it a go."

Chaput finished second to Breaux Greer in Sacramento, followed by the University of Tennessee's Leigh Smith and two-time Olympian Tom Pukstys. Only Greer made the "A" standard.

If Chaput and Smith both reach the qualification mark, they will go to Athens; if Pukstys does and either Chaput or Smith does not, he will go instead.

Although the Olympic javelin events do not take place until August 23 and 25, Chaput said that he would have to be in Athens for the Opening Ceremonies on Friday, August 13.

"If I were to make the Olympic team, I'd pretty much have to leave right away," he said.

Chaput saidd that his family probably would not be able to travel with him, but his coach, John Taylor -- who finished ninth at the Trials -- would travel to Greece.

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