Athlete Hit By Javelin At Meet -- Teen Critical After Accident At State Competition

TACOMA - A Marysville-Pilchuck High School javelin thrower was in critical condition at Madigan Army Medical Center yesterday after being struck in the head by a fellow competitor's javelin.

James Phillips, a 17-year-old junior, was hit by a steel javelin with a plastic protective tip thrown by Marcos Bolanos of Everett's Cascade High School. The accident occurred during warm-ups for the Class 4A competition at the state 3A-4A track meet at Lincoln High School.

A Madigan spokesman said Phillips suffered a skull fracture. He underwent surgery and was admitted to the hospital's critical-care unit.

Hospital spokesman Lt. Ryan Laughlin said last night no change in Phillip's condition was anticipated for 24 hours.

Meet director Joe Bullock called the incident "an inadvertent, unfortunate accident."

Of his errant throw, Bolanos said, "I threw it and yelled, `Watch out!' So did everybody else. But then he turned around and it hit him."

Competitor Jason Irwin of Auburn said Phillips "fell backward" when struck. The javelin bounced off Phillips' face.

Irwin estimated that the javelin traveled 30 yards before striking Phillips.

The accident occurred on a playfield that adjoins Lincoln Bowl, the football-track complex where the state meet has been held for 17 years.

At the time, several competitors were warming up with short tosses on different areas of the playfield. Phillips was struck while warming up about 25 yards from the main javelin-competition runway.

Some witnesses said Phillips never appeared to lose consciousness after being struck.

Medical personnel for the tournament rushed to the scene, and a Tacoma Fire Department aid car arrived within minutes.

Bolanos competed in the event and finished fourth.

Some schools, including those in the Seattle School District, do not include the javelin as a track event because of safety concerns.