2008 Summer Olympics: You're Only as Old as You Swim, Shoot, or Canter

When you think of the Olympic games, the picture in your mind is probably one of young men and women competing for medals. The average age of the Olympic participants for the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics is 24 years of age. That's not very old. However, don't count out the old-timers. This year, gold may come to those who prevail - and those who have kept prevailing - for many years. In swimming, dressage, and shooting, some of the oldest competitors to ever participate in the Olympics will be aiming for bronze, silver, and gold. And some of them are likely to find it.

2008 Summer Olympics Swim Team - Dara Torres, USA

One of the major stories in the weeks leading up to the 2008 Olympics has been the dominance of Dara Torres in her bid to return to the Summer Olympics in Beijing. At 41, Dara is the oldest swimmer - ever - in the Summer Olympics. The US Olympic Swim Team member will be attending her fifth Olympic Games - a record for a US swimmer.

Just think, this is her second return from retirement. Torres elected not to participate in the 1996 and 2004 Olympic games. Already with a total of nine Olympic medals, including 4 gold, 1 silver, and 4 bronze, Torres set a US record in the 50 meters during the 2008 Olympic trials. Her chances for medaling look very good again.

2008 Summer Olympics Women's Shooting - Susan Nattrass, Canada and Libby Callahan, USA

Susan Nattrass participated in her first trapshooting event at the Montreal Olympic Games in 1976 and was the first woman ever to participate in a shooting event in the Summer Olympic Games. For the 2008 Olympics in Beijing she will be 58 years old and hopes to win her first medal in the Olympics. She holds seven world championship titles. When not competing, Dr. Nattrass heads up a osteoporosis clinic based in Seattle, Washington.

Libby Callahan is making her fourth return to the Summer Olympics. She previously competed in the 1992, 1996, and 2004 Olympic Games. An Army Reserve Staff Sergeant, Callahan worked for 28 years as a member of the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Department before retiring to Columbia, South Carolina last year. Libby Callahan is 56 years old.

2008 Summer Olympics Dressage Team - Hiroshi Hoketsu, Japan

At 67 years old, Hiroshi Hoketsu is the oldest known Olympic participant appearing in the 2008 Olympic games. Hoketsu was 23 at his first Olympic games in 1944 in Tokyo when he competed in equestrian show jumping. During an illustrious career as manager of several pharmaceutical companies, including Johnson & Johnson in Japan, Hoketsu turned his interests toward dressage and earned a second spot to the Olympics in 1988. Unfortunately, his horse had a respiratory problem and was unable to pass the quarantine test. Hoketsu was unable to participate.

Hiroshi Hoketsu then began participating in equestrian events in Japan, winning five national championships in a row from 1988 through 1992. In 2002, after retiring, Hoketsu began pursuing his Olympic dream again. This year, he will participate with the Japan Equestrian Team in the dressage events.

Other 2008 Olympic Notables

Other Olympic participants noted for their age as well as their abilities in the 2008 Beijing Olympics include French cyclist, Jeannie Longo, age 49; Haile Satayin, Israel, men's marathon, age 49; and James Tomkins, Australia, rowing, age 42.

Oldest United States Participants - Any Summer Olympics

Prior to Libby Callahan, the oldest woman to compete in the Summer Olympics in any year for the United States was Kyra Downton who competed as a member of the US equestrian team at age 55. Downton competed in the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City in both individual and team dressage.

The oldest man to compete in the Summer Olympics for the United States and win a medal was Galen Spencer who, as a 64 year-old, won a gold medal in archery at the 1904 Summer Olympics.

Oldest Participants - Any Summer Olympics

The oldest woman from any country to compete in the Olympics (Summer or Winter) was Lorna Johnstone. At 70 years old and 5 days, Johnstone participated as a member of the British Equestrian Team in the 1972 Summer Olympic Games.

The oldest men to compete in the Summer Olympic Games were Oscar Swahn of Sweden (1908, 1912, 1920, and 1924, Shooting) and Arthur von Pongracz of Austria (1936, Dressage Team) who both competed at age 72.

Oscar Swahn is especially notable. Swahn won 6 medals in a shooting sport called "running deer." For the curious, they didn't actually shoot live deer. Rather, a deer-shaped target with concentric circles made runs of 75 feet while the competitors took one shot during each run. Altogether, Swahn captured 6 medals including a gold medal at age 64 in the 1912 Olympics. At the time of his win, Swahn was 9 months older than Galen Spencer had been when he won his gold medal in 1904, making Oscar Swahn the oldest gold medalist. Oscar Swahn was 64 years and 280 days old, to be exact.

In addition, Oscar Swahn's son, Albert, competed in every Olympics with him. Albert won 9 Olympic medals between 1908 and 1924. Oscar Swahn qualified for the Paris Olympics in 1924 but became ill and his son competed for the first time without his father on the team. Oscar Swahn died a little over three years later at age 80.

Sources:

Ashling O'Connor, London 2012 and the video games generation, www.timesonline.co.uk

JoJo Doria, Olympian, American Shooter Libby Callahan Returns To The Olympics For Fourth Time, All Headline News

Kristina Rutherford, Shooting trailblazer is still in the game, www.cbs.ca

Profile of Dara Torres, Gold Medal Greats, goldmedalgreats.com

Barry Jacobs, Olympic Success Can Defy Age, WRAL.com

Agence France-Presse in Paris, Age is No Barrier, South China Morning Post, scmp.com