On July 26, 1920, one of the most incredible records in sports history was set. On this day, the Swedish shooter Oskar Swan won silver at the Olympic Games in Antwerp. At that time he was 72 years and 280 days old. Even for those sports in which age is not a big hindrance to successful performances, this is a solid achievement, which no one has been able to come close to for the next hundred years.
Oscar Swann was born on October 20, 1847, 15 years earlier than the founder of the modern Olympic Games, Pierre de Coubertin. The future athlete was the son of Captain Jacob Swann. At 16, the teenager became a member of the shooting association of his native Tanum commune.
After his marriage, Swann moved to the city of Uddevalla, where he headed the local shooting association. In 1879, his son Alfred was born, who took over his father's hobby and also became a shooter. Subsequently, Svan Sr. lived in Stockholm and worked for the Svenska Telegrambyran (SvT) news agency, without ceasing to engage in shooting.
The inclusion of shooting at moving targets in the program of the 1908 Olympic Games allowed the Swedish athlete to enter the history of sports. Sweden equipped the national team to compete, and both Swann, father and son, went to London to show their skills.
Oscar Swann was already 60 years old at that time, but his age did not prevent him from winning three medals. First, he became the champion in single-shot "running deer" shooting - he had to hit ten moving deer targets from a distance of 110 yards, gaining points for accurate hits. Swann scored 25 points out of 40 possible and celebrated a clear victory. We add that this is the only Oscar Swann gold medal won in individual competitions.
Then Swann, together with his son, took part in the team tournament. His result this time was worse, but thanks to Alfred, the Swedes were one point ahead of their only competitors from Great Britain, winning their second gold.
Swann Sr. finished his performance at the 1908 Olympics with bronze in double-shot at the "running deer".
Four years later, the Olympic Games were held in Stockholm, and the family of Swedish shooters could not help but take part in them. This time the gold in single shots at the "running deer" went to Svan Jr., and his father took fifth place. In the team tournament, they again became the best, and this victory allowed Oscar Swann to set the first of his age records. At that moment he was 64 years and 258 days old. Since then, no one has won Olympic gold in their seventh decade. In addition, Swann again won bronze in double-shot shooting.
Due to the First World War, the next Olympics took place only eight years later. The elder Swann was already 72 years old at that time, but he was still eager to compete with younger rivals. On July 26, 1920, he took part in two team tournaments with the Swedish national team. In single-shot shooting, the Scandinavians took fourth place, and in double shooting they won silver medals. Swann became the oldest medalist in the history of the Olympic Games, and this achievement, too, has not been beaten.
He could not improve his result even for one more day. In the individual singles tournament the next day, Swann finished seventh. But since then he is also considered the oldest participant in the Olympic competitions.
Swann was not going to stop there. He planned to compete at the Olympic Games in 1924, but due to illness, he was forced to abandon the trip to Paris. Three years later, Oscar Swan passed away, half a year before his 80th birthday. Four more years later, his son Alfred also died, who during his career as a shooter won three gold, three silver and three bronze medals at the Olympic Games.
It should be noted that Oscar Swann's age records are only valid for athletic participants in the Olympic Games. In the first half of the 20th century, along with matches and races, art contests were also held, where medals were awarded in various disciplines. The sculptors, painters, architects and composers who exhibited their works were often at a very respectable age, in which none of the athletes could compete.
If we take into account the ministers of the arts, then the oldest participant in the Olympic Games is the British artist and illustrator George Denholm Armour. He was one of the contestants in the 1948 competition in London, when he was already 84 years old.
Another Swann record could be challenged by another British artist John Copley. In the same 1948, he won the silver medal in the category "engravings and etchings" with a work dedicated to polo players. At the time of the competition, Copley was already 73 years old, and thus he could be considered the oldest medalist. But Svan holds the title of the oldest Olympic champion alone - none of the artists won competitions at the same age as the Swedish shooter.