Sunday, March 4, 2012

70-year-old man qualifies for Olympics

A 70-year-old Japanese man has qualified for the London Olympics and — if he competes— would become the second oldest Olympian in history.

Equestrian Hiroshi Hoketsu qualified by winning an international dressage meet in France on Thursday.  Japanese equestrian officials said today they will make an announcement soon on whether or not the septuagenarian will mount up at the London games.

Hoketsu will turn 71 on March 28.



The oldest Olympian in history is Swedish shooter Oscar Swahn who won a silver medal at the 1920 Antwerp Olympics at the age of 72— his sixth medal in three games.

Hoketsu is already Japan's oldest Olympian after competing in the 2008 Beijing Olympics at the age of 67.

At those games, Hoketsu finished ninth in the dressage team event and the individual competition.  He also qualified for the 1988 Seoul Olympics but was unable to compete after his horse was quarantined.

It sounds like Hoketsu is the Gordie Howe of the horsey set.

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