Hiroshi Hoketsu, a 66-year-old equestrian rider, is set to become Japan’s oldest Olympian after being officially named on Wednesday in the team for Beijing.
Hoketsu, who will be 67 next month, has been named to compete in the team dressage event after a 44-year break from the Games.
He was a member of Japan’s equestrian team at the Tokyo Olympics in 1964 where he finished 40th in showjumping.
“We are very happy he has been named to the team,” said Hideki Yamauchi, an official with the Japan Equestrian Federation. “It’s quite an accomplishment to return to the Olympics after 44 years.”
Hoketsu will surpass the previous age record for Japan set by Kikuko Inoue, who represented her country in an equestrian event at the 1988 Seoul Games at age 63.
The oldest Olympian was Swedish shooter Oscar Swahn. Swahn was 64 years old when he won a shooting gold in the 1912 Stockholm Games and then returned eight years later, aged 72, to win a silver in Antwerp, Belgium — his sixth medal over three games. — Sapa-AP