Tokyo 2020’s golden oldies could see a new oldest Olympian
- Hiroshi Hoketsu pondering his second Tokyo Olympics aged 79, only missed Rio 2016 equestrianism because his horse was ill
- Gymnast Oksana Chusovitina, 44, and former table tennis world champion Ni Xialian, 55, will compete in Japan
Age ain’t nothing but a number, they say, and some of the athletes in Olympics past would certainly agree.
The oldest ever Olympian ever was John Copley. who competed in the 1948 Olympics aged 73. However, that was in the Mixed Painting, Engravings, and Etchings art competition, which is no longer recognised as a sport.
Only a touch younger – and considered the oldest Olympian – was oldest medallist Oscar Swahn who won silver for Sweden in the Running Deer shooting event at the 1920 Olympics at 72 years and 280 days. Swahn is also the oldest gold medallist, winning in the same event at his home Olympics in 1912, aged 64 years and 258 days. Swahn also qualified for 1924 but did not compete after falling ill.
Remarkably, his record could be broken in Tokyo this summer.
It has has been a close call in recent years. Canadian equestrian rider Ian Millar made it to 10 Summer Games in a row up to London 2012 and would have made Rio too, but for a sick horse. The man known as “Captain Canada” will not compete in Tokyo aged 73 as he called time on his career last year, but his daughter Amy might ensure the name lives on. She made her first Olympics in Rio four years ago and could compete this summer aged 43.
The oldest Olympian in Rio was another equestrian rider. New Zealand’s Julie Brougham was 62, but she will not ride in Tokyo after only just returning to competition after a year battling cancer. We might yet see Canada’s Lesley Thompson-Willie in action. The rowing coxswain was 56 at the Rio Games and is looking to qualify for a ninth Olympics – and after a change in the rules she will be coxing for the men rather than the women as the 60-year-old looks to make Tokyo.