Oldest to START a sport and eventually make it to the olympics or the worlds

[nauru]

Just wondering what is the oldest you have heard of for a person to start a sport, and the subsequently make it to the olympics or worlds. The oldest at time of starting the sport, not oldest at time of attending first olympics!

Obviously most people start when they are children but I'm interested in the exceptions to this.

To clarify, it doesn't matter if they won a medal or not; doesn't matter if they came last place; doesn't matter what flag they wore. If they competed at an olympic games or a world championships at any point, and started the sport after age 20, then they qualify for this thread.

I'll start: Nicolas Gill started judo in his twenties I believe (or very late teens) and went on to win the silver at Sydney 2000 olympics. Coincidentally he was on the Canadian team.

[cheapgeek]

I heard of someone in their late 30s take up archery. I also think you should be able to start show jumping and other equestrian sports late in life it's all bout money for a good horse.

[Kunman]

pool could be a good one....not very physically demanding. Requires time, eye sight, some flexibility. Could start in 50s if person wanted to.

[nwilliams]

Many golfers start later in life - Greg Norman didn't pick up a club until he was 15.

And, although I'm not sure when this guy first picked up a club, but there was a story of an amateur golfer joining the Champions tour (50+ years version of the PGA tour) - taking the game seriously only after retirement. Can't remember his name at the moment.

[iEyeCaptain]

MMA as Olympic sport?

Discuss.

[BornRuff]

Apparently many people take up rowing in university and go on to the Olympics. Jon Montgomery started Skeleton when he was 23 and won the gold 8 years later. Pretty much anyone involved with bobsled starts as an adult.

These are all linked by the fact that they require some pretty obscure equipment/settings to practice these sports, so access is limited to people as kids. They all take on athletes from other disciplines though.

[nauru]

MMA as Olympic sport?

Discuss.

Thanks for not hijacking my thread.

Regards

[Madchester]

Jon Montgomery started Skeleton when he was 23 and won the gold 8 years later. Pretty much anyone involved with bobsled starts as an adult.


Jon Montgomery's wife is supposedly training as a skeleton athlete now.

[appleb]

Curling? Airgun?

[Psubs]

Isn't like Ian Miller in his 10th Olympics for equestrian?