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Olympics Blog

Wild and crazy guys

By Helene Elliott
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EUGENE, Ore. -- Who knew pole vaulters were comedians?

Paul Litchfield, competing in Friday’s men’s pole vault qualifying, wore a bodysuit whose front was imprinted with a tuxedo front, complete with bow tie, left.

Toby Stevenson, who competes while wearing a modified hockey helmet, did an animated, fist-pumping dance to celebrate a clearance early in the competition.

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Kudos to them for injecting some fun into the generally tension-filled trials.

Both made it to the finals, which are set to begin on Sunday at 2:40 p.m. PDT.

Brad Walker is the leader going in after a vault Friday of 18-4 1/2, while Stevenson and Litchfield tied with 18 1/2.

Jeff Hartwig, 40, also made the finals, something perhaps no one expected. Read Phil Hersh’s account of Hartwig’s performance, in which the pole vaulter said, ‘I don’t think it is as remarkable that I am doing this at 40 as it is that I am competing in my fifth Olympic trials.’

--Helene Elliott and Debbie Goffa

Olympics Blog
Helene Elliott

Helene Elliott was with the Los Angeles Times’ Sports department from 1989 to 2024, first as a staff writer and then, starting in 2006, as a columnist. She became the first female journalist to be honored with a plaque in the Hall of Fame of a major professional sport as the 2005 winner of the Hockey Hall of Fame’s Elmer Ferguson Award, awarded to writers “who have brought honor to journalism and to hockey.” A native of Brooklyn, N.Y., and graduate of Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, she has covered 18 Olympics.

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