Here's one for us old guys and gals.
Josefa Idem is competing in her 8th Olympics, something that no woman else has done that before.
From Wiki: Josefa Idem Guerrini (born September 23, 1964 in Goch, West Germany) is a West German-born Italian sprint canoer. Competing in seven Summer Olympics, she has five medals (she will compete in her 8th Olympic: a world record [1]). Winning 35 international medals during her career, Idem was the first Italian woman to win World Championships (22 total, five gold) and Olympic medals in canoe sprint. At the 2009 world championships, she became the oldest medalist in the history of the world championships. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josefa_Idem
In her first race, she finished third out of 7 canoe owers in her heat, qualifying her for the next round in the 1000 meter race.
However, she is not the oldest athlete competing in 2012 Olympics. From bettor.com:
Hiroshi Hoketsu, who is Japanese athlete 70 years of age, has earned
himself the honour of qualifying to take part in the upcoming London
2012 Olympic Games.
The Japanese athlete has surprised many in the sporting world by
being eligible to take part in the equestrian event of the Olympic Games
at an unexpected age.
The Japanese athlete made it into the London 2012 Olympic Games after
taking part as well as winning an international dressage equestrian
event that took place in France on Thursday of the previous week.
According to the Japanese Equestrian Federation,
Hoketsu was riding the dressage on Whisper, his 15-year-old horse.
Hoketsu as well as Whisper had made their mark by coming at the top of
the Asia-Oceania rankings for the individual dressage event. http://blogs.bettor.com/Hoketsu-becomes-oldest-athlete-to-qualify-for-London-2012-Olympic-Games-at-70-a134175
However, Ian Miller of Canada is 65 years old and is competing in his 10th Olympics.
Afanasijs Kuzmins is from Lativa and is competing in his 9th Olympics in shooting. Afanasijs Kuzmins is 65 years old. From Wiki: Afanasijs Kuzmins (born March 22, 1947 in Daugavpils District) is a Latvian shooter who won two Olympic medals in the 25 m Rapid Fire Pistol event; gold at the 1988 for the USSR and silver at the 1992 Summer Olympics for Latvia. He also won the 1986 World Championship in 25 m Standard Pistol. Kuzmins trained at the Armed Forces sports society in Riga.
He competed at the 2004 Summer Olympics and, by receiving wild card, competed also in the 2008 Summer Olympics. At age 61 Kuzmins finished 13th overall in his eighth Olympic appearance.[1] No other shooter has appeared at eight Olympics; four have appeared at seven Olympics. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afanasijs_Kuzmins
Then you Ian Miller from Canada who is competing in his 10th Olympics:
From the Miami Herald: Canadian equestrian Ian Millar rode into Olympic history Saturday by competing in his 10th games - the most of any athlete.
The
65-year-old Millar, aboard Star Power, was riding in the show jumping
qualifying round for individual medals. He surpassed Austrian sailor
Hubert Raudaschi, who retired in 1996 after appearing in nine games.
Millar
has been an Olympic competitor for 40 years, and the only games he
missed since he began were the Western-led boycott of Moscow in 1980.
His first games were in Munich in 1972.
"I am better now than I was then in knowledge and experience," he
said. "The age of the top riders tends to be older because it takes a
lot of time to be consistent." http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/08/04/2931708/canadian-rider-sets-record-with.html
Thank you to these older athletes who are showing the young kids a thing or two about competing at the highest level.
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