The youngest and oldest olympic recurve archer?

[hollowpoint]

Just wondering who is the youngest and who is the oldest recurve archer in the olympic history? How old when they participate in the olympic games? Got any idea guys?

[Allvyn]

I think Denise Parker of the USA got into the Olympics at age 14.

[worthipa]

Originally Posted by hollowpoint

Just wondering who is the youngest and who is the oldest recurve archer in the olympic history? How old when they participate in the olympic games? Got any idea guys?

Certainly the youngest medalist from the UK (I think) was Lottie Dod who won the Silver medal for Archery in 1908 at the age of 15. Interestingly she was a descendant of the commander of English Archers at Agincourt and her father Willie Dod celebrated his 41st birthday with a Gold medal for archery.

Possibly the oldest was Butch Johnson from the US who competed in the 2004 Athens Olympics aged 48.

[hollowpoint]

thanks for the info guys!
i wish i had taken my first archery course at 14 or 15! and now, my only hope is to become the oldest olympic archer at the age of 49!

[grantwomack]

Originally Posted by worthipa

Possibly the oldest was Butch Johnson from the US who competed in the 2004 Athens Olympics aged 48.

Janet Dykman was 51 when she shot at Athens.

[Allvyn]

Originally Posted by hollowpoint

thanks for the info guys!
i wish i had taken my first archery course at 14 or 15! and now, my only hope is to become the oldest olympic archer at the age of 49!

Its never too late to start archery, it isn't as stressful as other sports like football which most won't be able to play well once hitting the 40 mark. Archery is for everyone.

[hollowpoint]

Originally Posted by Allvyn

Its never too late to start archery, it isn't as stressful as other sports like football which most won't be able to play well once hitting the 40 mark. Archery is for everyone.

Yes Allvyn, that's what i thought too and i love it very much!

[stuart]

I'm not certain but wasn't Ed Eliason still representing USA well into his sixties? Almost certain he made the olympics too.

[worthipa]

Originally Posted by stuart

I'm not certain but wasn't Ed Eliason still representing USA well into his sixties? Almost certain he made the olympics too.

He made the US Olympic Team in 1972 the year archery was reintroduced.

But (unless it's his son), he still seems to be going strong: 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Archery - 9/28/2007

[TJ Mason]

Butch Johnson has now qualified for his fifth straight Olympics. He'll turn 53 in August.

Congratulations to him of course - it's a great achievement and it keeps the daydreams of us crocks alive, but it's a bit of a sad comment on the state of Olympic-style archery in the USA, isn't it? There should be a flood of younger contenders coming through from Ki Sik Lee's programme, yet oldies like Johnson and 32-year-old Vic Wunderle are in again.