The average peak performance for an athlete comes around age 26. However, there are many sports that require as much experience and hand-eye coordination as possible, leading to many Olympic medalists exceeding 60 or even 70 years of age! Here are the oldest Olympic competitors of all time.
Age and Experience
It’s not a secret that people’s reflexes and strength wane as they age. That’s why events like gymnastics, swimming, and track and field are dominated by athletes in their late teens to mid-20s. However, some events are actually easier for older athletes due to their wisdom and experience.
Joshua Millner
During the 1908 Summer Olympics, British marksman Joshua Millner competed at the age of 60. He won a gold medal in the 1,000 yards Free Rifle competition. He competed alongside marksman Oscar Swahn, who would later win gold at the 1912 Olympics. Read on to learn more about him.
Lida Peyton “Eliza” Pollock
American archer Lida Peyton “Eliza” Pollock competed during the 1904 Summer Olympics at the age of 63. She’s the oldest American woman to ever compete and won two bronze medals by herself. She also won a gold medal for the team round, making her the oldest female gold medalist in history.
Ian Millar
Canadian equestrian Ian Millar holds a few records. He’s one of the oldest Olympians to ever compete in the events, having participated in 2012 at age 65. He’s also the Olympian who appeared in the most games, making it to ten events from 1972 to 2012. He won a silver medal during the team event in the 2008 Beijing games.
Lorna Johnstone
English equestrian Lorna Johnstone competed in the dressage event in 1972 at the age of 70. She’s the oldest British competitor and the oldest woman to ever compete in the games. Notably, she didn’t earn a medal in 1972, nor in her earlier appearances in 1956 and 1968.
Hiroshi Hoketsu
Japanese equestrian (are you seeing a pattern yet?) Hiroshi Hoketsu competed in the 2012 Olympic games at the age of 72. He also competed in 1964 and 2008. Interestingly, Hoketsu could have become the oldest Olympian ever if he’d qualified for the Japanese team in 2016 like he wanted to. His horse had gotten sick, however, and his scores weren’t up to par.
Arthur von Pongracz
Austrian equestrian Arthur von Pongracz competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin at age 72. He actually made his debut in the 1924 Games in Paris, having first competed at the age of 60! That’s one of the oldest Olympic debuts of any athlete.
Oscar Swahn
Oscar Swahn is, by most accounts, the oldest Olympian and the oldest gold medalist. He competed in the 1920 Summer Olympics as a marksman and took home two golds. One of his medals was in the solo single-shot running deer, and the other was in the team single-shot running deer. He also won a silver medal, making him, of course, the oldest silver medalist ever.
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John Copley
This one gets a bit weird. In a nod to the artistic expression at the ancient Greek version of the games, the Olympic committee originally gave out medals in the arts. During the 1948 Summer Olympics, painter John Copley submitted an engraving in the Mixed Painting, Engravings, and Etchings competition at age 73. He also won a silver medal! By some accounts, this makes him the oldest Olympian, and oldest medalist, though the Committee no longer recognizes these art competitions as official Olympic games.
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Winslow Homer
If you want to get even more technical, Winslow Homer’s art was submitted in the painting category in the 1932 Summer Games. He actually passed away in 1910, but, had he been alive, he would have been 96 years old. In a weird way, that makes him the “oldest” person to have ever competed in the Olympics.
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