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Oldest and Youngest Olympians (Summer Games)

greek discus Here are some of the 'Oldest and Youngest' competitors at the Summer Olympic Games. See more Olympic Trivia.

Oldest Male Competitor

The oldest ever Olympian is Oscar Swahn of Sweden. He was 72 years, 281 days old when he competed at the 1920 Olympics in shooting. He also qualified for the 1924 Olympics but withdrew without competing.

other old competitors

Arthur von Pongracz of Austria also competed at age 72 in Dressage in 1936, becoming one of the oldest ever competitors at the Olympics. Arthur von Pongracz was born June 25, 1864 and competed on August 12-13, 1936, so he was 72 years and 49 days old.
In Beijing 2008, equestrian rider Hiroshi Hoketsu became the oldest Japanese Olympic representative at age 67. Hoketsu first took part in the Olympics in 1964, and he has also made the team for the 2012 Olympics, where he will be 71 years old.
Louis, Count du Douet de Graville (69 years, 95 days) competed in Equestrian at the 1900. born February 27, 1831, competed June 2, 1900.

Oldest Male Gold Medalist

Oscar Swahn won a gold medal for shooting at the 1912 Olympics, when he was 64 years and 280 days old. At the time of his win, Swahn was 9 months older than Galen Spencer had been when he won his gold medal in 1904.

Other old gold medalists

Galen Carter Spencer was an American who competed in archery at the 1904 Summer Olympics. He won the gold medal in the team competition. He was born September 19, 1840, and competed on September 19, 1904, which means he competed on his 64th birthday.
Jerry Millner (born July 5, 1847) was a British shooter who represented Great Britain and Ireland at the 1908 Summer Olympics. He won a gold medal in the Free rifle at 1000 yards. At the time he was 61 years and 4 days old.

Oldest Male Medalist

The oldest male Olympic medalist is genarally considered to be Swedish shooter Oscar Swahn. He won a silver medal in 1920 when he was 72 years, 281 days old. Overall Swahn won 6 medals in a shooting sport called "running deer." in appearances at the 1908, 1912, and 1920 Games. However, there is an older medalist from the little known art competitions that ran from 1912 to 1948. In the final year that these events were held, British graphic artist John Copley was awarded the silver medal for his design "Polo Player" just about a month before his 74th birthday. This makes him officially the oldest Olympic medalists ever.

Oldest Female Competitor

The oldest woman to compete in the Olympics was British rider Lorna Johnstone, who participated in Equestrian at the 1972 Olympic Games at 70 years and 5 days old.

Oldest Female Medalist

In 1908, British archery winner Sybil “Queenie” Newall became the oldest woman ever to win an Olympic gold medal, she was aged 53 years, 275 days.

Youngest Male Medalists

If you discount the young coxain who won gold in 1900, the youngest confirmed Olympic medalist is Greek gymnast Dimitrios Loundras (born on September 4, 1885), who competed in the 1896 Athens Olympics. He was 10 years old. He received a bronze medal in a team event (on 9 April 1896) at 10 years 218 days. The youngest male medalist in an individual event was Nils Skoglund of Denmark, who finished second in the High Diving, 1920 at age 14 yrs, 11 days.

Youngest Male Gold Medalist

There is speculation that a young boy from Paris was coxswain in the winning Dutch pair oars boat in the 1900 rowing event. Before they raced in the Final, their regular coxswain Hermanus Brockmann was determined to be too heavy at 60kg, so he was replaced by this boy. The boy's name nor age has ever been determined. Only a photograph exists, showing him with his two oarsmen Françoise Brandt and Roelof Klein - he may have been as young as seven. It is not sure which of the coxswain was given the Gold medal. The youngest confirmed male gold medalist is the German Klaus Zerta who was 13 years, 283 days when he competed as the coxain in the Men's Coxed Pairs, in 1960. The youngest male gold medalist in an individual event was Kusuo Kitamura of Japan, who won the 1500-m Freestyle swimming event in 1952 aged 14 yrs, 309 days.

Youngest Female Medalist

Inge Sørensen of Denmark was 12 yrs, 24 days old when she won a bronze medal in the 200m Breaststroke in 1936.

Youngest Female Gold Medalist

Marjorie Gestring of the USA won the 3-meter Springboard Diving event in 1936 aged 13 years, 268 days.

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