EUGENE, ORE. -- The oldest competitor at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials, 46-year-old Roald Bradstock, made his debut Friday night in the javelin, and Hayward Field might not ever be the same.
A professional artist by trade, Bradstock is known as "The Olympic Picasso."
His running series of YouTube videos of him throwing random objects like Ipods, cell phones, eggs and golf balls has "exploded."
On Friday night he expressed his artistic side, wearing a different outfit with a matching hand-painted javelin for each attempt. He debuted with a black-and-white zebra pattern, then changed into Olympic colors before finishing with a red, white and blue scheme.
Alas, his mark of 225 feet, 5 inches failed to earn him a spot in the 12-man finals Sunday. Bradstock, who was diagnosed with spina bifida in 1968 and as a result throws with an unorthodox rotational side-arm delivery, announced his retirement from competitive throwing after the meet.
"I was ecstatic with how I threw," said Bradstock. "I threw my season's best, and I didn't get injured. My goal this year was to be out there (at the trials). I did it, and I had a lot of fun."
A two-time Olympian from Great Britain, Bradstock became a U.S. citizen in 1995. He was an alternate for the U.S. team in 1996.
"I've had a great career," Bradstock said. "It's time to move on and focus on my art now."
VAULTING FORWARD: Erica Bartolina, who lives and trains in Hammond, was one of 12 qualifiers who advanced to the finals in the pole vault.
Bartolina, a two-time Big 12 champion at Texas A&M in 2001 and 2002, moved into the finals by clearing 14 feet, 1.25 inches on her second attempt.
She qualified for the trials with a mark of 14 feet, 3 inches at the Harry Jerome International Track Classic in Vancouver, British Columbia, last month.
Favorites Jenn Stuczynski, one of only three women to ever vault 16 feet, and Stacy Draglia, a nine-time U.S. outdoor champion, easily advanced, clearing 14-3 on their first attempts.
HAMMER TIME: Kristal Yush, the wife of LSU throws coach Derek Yush, qualified for the finals in the hammer throw.
Yush's throw of 220-3 was the third best of the 24 competitors in the preliminary round late Thursday night.
A former University of Vermont standout, Yush has a top mark of 227-2 and was second at last year's USA meet.
The 12-woman finals are today at 3:10 p.m.
SHORT STAY: The only Louisiana resident in the high jump competition, Southern sophomore-to-be Jason House, failed to record a qualifying mark Thursday night and did not advance to the finals.
House, the Southwestern Athletic Conference indoor and outdoor champion this season, failed to clear the initial mark of 7 feet, one-half inch in three attempts.
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Jeff Duncan can be reached at jduncan@timespicayune.com or 504.826.3404.