Let's hear it for the 40-plus set

EUGENE, Ore. -- Roald Bradstock scored one for those well beyond their teenage years when he competed in the javelin qualifying Friday at age 46.

He didn't just show up, he made a huge splash: For his first throw, he wore a black-and-white striped bodysuit with his javelin sheathed in matching fabric. For his second throw, he wore a multicolored outfit -- and so did his javelin.

And for his third throw, he celebrated the Fourth of July by wearing a horizontally striped outfit of red, white and blue, with the javelin dressed to match.

Bradstock, a masters champion in the 45-to-49 age group, is also an accomplished artist. He represented Great Britain in 1984 and 1988 and became a U.S. citizen in 1995.

These are his fourth U.S. trials: He was fifth in 1996, didn't get out of qualifying in 2000 and was 10th in 2004.

--Helene Elliott 

Photo: Roald Bradstock after his second javelin throw. Credit: Matthew Stockman / Getty Images