Kara Patterson's Olympic Trials injury worse than initially thought as she doesn't qualify for finals...

LONDON--Kara Patterson's (left/photo courtesy US Olympic Committee) injury at the US Olympic Trials in Eugene last month was worse than initially thought.

Competing in her second Olympics, the four-time US national champion from Vancouver's Skyview High School entered Tuesday's javelin qualifying round at Olympic Stadium with a torn ACL on her left knee, according to Ken Goe of the Oregonian, in a series of tweets after throwing in the first flight of the javelin.

Wearing a large knee brace on the left leg, Patterson threw 184-5 (56.23m) in the first round.

In rounds 2 and 3, she stepped over the line to take an intentional foul as the javelin traveled around 52 meters (170-7) or so.

In each of the three rounds, she appeared to run slowly approaching the foul line, without the explosion one normally sees from her.

In a tweet after the flight, she confirmed the torn ACL, stating, "Thank you so much for all your support! I threw 56m or so on a completely torn ACL. Proud of my effort and looking forward to surgery."

"I didn't say anything before because I wanted to focus on doing the best I could here in London, but I completely tore my left ACL at the Trials. I'm proud of a 56-meter effort on that. It's going to be SO sweet when everything eventually comes together."

"I did my very best, actually I know I could have thrown farther today, even with it all. But I am so thankful to all of the medical people at the training center, espescially Chris Garcia and my coach Ty, and my lifiting Coach Jamie, because they just belived in me so much to come here and try. I threw better than Beijing. I think that is my second best performance at a major championship, and on a torn ACL...I definetly could have made the finals still, but I guess I can’t be dissapointed with that performance today."

She also told Curtis Anderson of the Eugene Register-Guard that she would have given her spot to another athlete who had the Olympic 'A' standard. “Since we didn’t have anyone else, I could not come here and try,” said a tearful Patterson. “It’s the Olympics, it happens once every four years.”

In Tuesday evening's session, high jumper Jamie Nieto, who was born in Seattle, competes in the finals, along with teammates Jesse Williams and Erik Kynard, along with Canada's Mike Mason from British Columbia.

Day 5 results are available here.