Age is just a number! This has been proven throughout the years at the Olympic Games, where athletes as young as preteens and as old as retirement age have competed in various sports and walked away with medals. One famous “old” gold medalist at the 2024 Olympics is Simone Biles, who became the oldest American gymnast to earn the title of Olympic champion. However, in her late 20s, she’s still much younger than many of the oldest record-breaking Olympic athletes in history.
Table of Contents
- Who Is the Oldest Olympic Gold Medalist in History?
- How Old Is Simone Biles at the 2024 Olympics?
- Is Simone Biles the Oldest Olympic Gold Gymnast?
- Other Oldest Olympic Gold Medalists
Who Is the Oldest Olympic Gold Medalist in History?
The oldest Olympic gold medalist in history is Oscar Swahn of Sweden, according to Guinness World Records. In 1912, Oscar was on the winning Running Deer shooting team at the Olympic Games in Stockholm, Sweden, at the impressive age of 64 years and 258 days. He later made history again in 1920 at the Antwerp Olympics, becoming the oldest silver medalist in the shooting event at 72 years and 280 days old.
Oscar's remarkable career includes winning his first gold medal at the 1908 Olympics in London. He continued to compete in the following two Olympics, securing three more gold medals, one silver, and two bronze. Oscar passed away on May 1, 1927, at the age of 79, leaving a legacy that proves age is not a barrier to achievement.
How Old Is Simone Biles at the 2024 Olympics?
At the 2024 Olympics in Paris, Simone Biles is 27 years old. She has already made history by winning three gold medals, which solidifies her status as the oldest American gymnast to ever take home gold in Olympic history. Her victory serves as an inspiration that athletes can continue to excel even as they age.
Is Simone Biles the Oldest Olympic Gold Gymnast?
While Simone has broken records among American gymnasts, she is not the oldest gymnast in the world to win gold at the Olympics. That title belongs to Maria Gorokhovskaya, who won the all-around final for the Soviet Union at 30 years old during the 1952 Olympics. Maria's success highlights that gymnasts can achieve greatness at various stages of their lives.
With that said, there’s still a chance that Simone could attempt to break the world record. The gymnast addressed her future in the Olympics after winning the gold medal for vault in August 2024, reflecting on her career and what may lie ahead.
Other Oldest Olympic Gold Medalists
Various record-breaking and age-defying athletes have graced the Olympic Games throughout history. Sailor Santiago Lange competed in sailing at the 2016 Olympics at the age of 54, showcasing that dedication and passion can lead to success at any age.
In men's swimming, the oldest gold medalist is the United States’ Anthony Ervin, who set the record at 35 years old during the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia. Additionally, American sprinter Michael Johnson became the oldest Olympic gold medalist at any track event shorter than 5000 meters at the age of 33 during the 2000 Olympics.
Going further back, Team USA archer Lida Peyton Pollock won a gold medal at the age of 63 in the 1904 Olympics held in Missouri, proving that age should never be a limitation to athletic excellence.
