A chiropractor spent an hour Thursday and another Saturday making sure that Oscar Duncan’s separated shoulder was in place.
For the 26-year-old javelin thrower, the U.S.A. Championships would become a terrible disappointment.
Duncan finished 14th with a throw of 208-7 as Breaux Greer set new meet and field records with his first-place throw of 279-7. Duncan had injured his throwing shoulder only 11 days before coming to Eugene, but he said he felt it was important to come and give his best effort.
“At this level everybody has injuries, so I can’t fall back on it,” Duncan said, as if all the throwers were launching spears with their shoulders out of their sockets.
Two years ago, Duncan’s first trip to Eugene was a breaking-out party, taking him from the relative obscurity of a career at Idaho State to his first berth on the American national team. His return was a story of what could have been.
Even an average throw for him Saturday would have secured a top-three finish, but Duncan did not feel bitter toward those who did qualify for this year’s national team.
“Those guys have been working hard all year, and they deserve it,” said Duncan, his disappointment evident. “Plus, that’s the way this whole year has been.”
Last September, Duncan lost his mother to a long battle with cancer right at the beginning of his new training year.
“That changed things for me,” Duncan said. “I used the javelin more to be around family after that.
“Family became much more important.”
A serious injury to his knee, and the ensuing surgery to remove 95 percent of the cartilage, kept him out another month and a half. The prognosis was bad.
“The doctors told me that I might throw three more weeks, three more months, or three more years. They didn’t know,” said Duncan, explaining why he decided to throw even after being hurt. “So now I treat every throw, every competition, like it might be my last.”
Saturday Duncan looked more like an old man on the javelin runway than an up-and-coming star. He scratched on his first throw, falling forward and over the line as he held his loose shoulder, then had to pass on his second throw to get through a period of sharp pain. He gave everything he had to his last attempt, but could manage only a sub-par 208-7.
Through it all, Duncan’s optimism remained undaunted.
“Next year will hopefully be huge,” he said, flashing his characteristic wide grin.
Anything would be better than the year, and the meet, he just had.