Australian Hoy, 62, becomes oldest Olympic medallist since 1968

Tuesday, 3 August 2021 03:25 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Andrew Hoy of Australia on his horse Vassily De Lassos competes at the Tokyo Games on Monday - REUTERS

TOKYO (AFP): Australian Andrew Hoy became the oldest medallist at the Olympics since 1968 when he took silver in the equestrian eventing team competition at the Tokyo Games on Monday.

It was the 62-year-old’s fifth Olympic medal in total – three of them gold – but his first since Sydney 2000.

Hoy was not done there, following up soon after with bronze in the eventing individual competition.

“I’m actually grateful people can still say how old I am because when I started in the sport, I used to be really proud of being the youngest person in the team,” said Hoy, whose first Olympic medal stretches back to 1992.

“When people meet me in the village they say, ‘Hey, so what do you do? Are you an official?’ “And I say, ‘Well, I’m an athlete’.” Hoy is still not old enough to trump Switzerland’s Louis Noverraz, who won silver in sailing at age 66 at the 1968 Mexico City Games.