Former residents qualify for Junior Olympics National Championships

Former Cathlamet residents and J. A. Wendt Elementary students, Chelsea Chaput and Kyleigh Koehler, will represent their track club, Barron Park Striders, at the Junior Olympics National Championships in Greensboro, NC, July 22 through 28, 2013. Chaput qualified in the discus in the 11-12 age division, and Koehler qualified in the shot put and turbo javelin in the 8 & Under division.

Chaput won the gold in the Region 13 Championships (Washington, Oregon, Alaska, and Northern Idaho) with a discus throw of 76’10”. She also set the Barron Park Striders club record this year with a throw of 80’2”.

Koehler won the gold in the Region 13 Championships in the turbo javelin with a throw of 33’7”. She won the silver in the shot put with a personal best of 12’2”. Koehler also set a new turbo javelin record for both the Barron Park Striders track club and the Pacific Northwest Junior Olympics Association (Western Washington), with a throw of 39’11” this year. She also holds the club record for shot put.

They both attend school in Lacey, WA. Their brother, Brett Chaput, is the current Wahkiakum High School boys discus record holder. Their parents are Scott and Joleen Koehler of Lacey.