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Who are The Oldest And Youngest Olympians at the Paris 2024 Olympics? Find Out
The Olympics is a stage where youth and experience collide. While some athletes are just blossoming into their athletic prime, others are defying the sands of time.
'Age is just a number,' they say, and the Olympians at the Paris Olympics 2024 are proving it right! For the first time in a century, the Olympic Games return to Paris, with athletes flocking to the French capital, all aiming to win that life-changing gold medal.
About 10,500 athletes will compete in 329 events across 32 sports until August 11.
Winning gold at the Olympics is the ultimate dream, and the hard work that goes into achieving it is immense. These athletes are giving it their all to turn their dreams into reality.
While many athletes are in the peak of their careers, blending years of experience with three years of preparation, there are also those just starting out and those nearing the end of their athletic journeys.
Who is the oldest athlete at the Paris Olympics 2024?
69-year-old Australian equestrian athlete Mary Hanna will be the oldest athlete traveling to Paris. She is four months shy of her 70th birthday. Hanna might not compete in Paris as she is an AP athlete (non-competing athlete) and on standby.
Her Olympic debut was in Atlanta in 1996, though she has never won a medal.
The oldest athlete set to definitely compete is Spanish equestrian Juan Antonio Jimenez Cobo, who is 65. Jimenez Cobo will be participating in his third Olympic Games, having debuted in Sydney in 2000. He won a silver medal in team dressage in Athens in 2004 but hasn't competed in the Olympics since then.
From Team GB, the oldest competitor is 57-year-old Carl Hester, who will make history by equaling fellow equestrian legend Nick Skelton’s record of seven Olympic Games.
READ MORE: Watch: 2024 Paris Olympic Athletes Put Anti-Sex Cardboard Beds to the Test in Viral Vide
Who is the youngest athlete at the Paris Olympics 2024?
China’s Zheng Haohao will be the youngest competitor at the Summer Games. At 11 years and 11 months, the skateboarder will compete in the park event.
Zheng started skateboarding only four years ago, and she will become China’s youngest-ever athlete to compete in the Olympic Games.
Earlier this month, Zheng told Reuters that to her, “competition is just to get together with my good friends.”
With skateboarding first introduced at the Tokyo Olympics, Zheng will be joined by several young competitors, including 12-year-old Vareeraya Sukasem from Thailand and Sky Brown from Great Britain, who at 16 has already won bronze in Tokyo.
How did skateboarder Zheng Haohao qualify for the Paris Olympics?
At 11 years and 11 months, Haohao is the youngest Olympian in Paris. Her qualification for the Olympics, just four years after taking up the sport, showcases her incredible talent. However, this talent is backed by hard work. Haohao's journey is as interesting as her achievement.
Although there is no official age limit for the Olympics, some sports have their own restrictions. Skateboarding does not. Measures are in place to ensure the safety of underage athletes, allowing them to stay in the Olympic Village, though this is up to individual countries.
Haohao's Olympic qualification was unexpected. She almost missed it during the 2023 World Skateboarding Tour. After scoring an impressive 63.49 points in the first round, a mistake dropped her score to 43.84 in the second round, putting her at risk of elimination. She took a big risk by incorporating two highly challenging tricks, including a 540 flip, into her routine. The gamble paid off, earning her 72.6 points in the third round and securing her spot as China’s youngest Olympian.
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