In 1896, Friedrich Traun won gold in tennis doubles for what was then known as the German Empire. Traun was just 20 years old.
Since then, athletes have proven that age does not define their athletic abilities. The below infographic highlights the oldest and youngest athletes who have won gold in the summer Olympics. Athletic Edge Sports Medicine Toronto pulled information from the athlete's individual Wikipedia pages as well as the Olympic website.
Some notable findings from this data showcase top athletes from around the world. The oldest athlete, George Seymour Lyon, competed in golf in 1904 for Canada at age 46. Golf is also the widest age gap in the chart, with Lyon’s youngest counterpart winning at 29 years his junior for the United States in the same year.
The chart also highlights athletes by gender, with the youngest male champion, Yasuji Miyazaki, winning gold in swimming at age 15 in 1932 for Japan. The youngest female, and youngest overall, Marjorie Gestring, won gold in diving in 1932 for the United States at age 13.
This infographic allows you to interact with the rich history of Olympic athletes as well as to gain an understanding of the age range for success. Whether you’re 13 or 46, staying focus and keeping your body at it’s strongest is the key to reaching your goals.
Infographic by: www.aesmphysiotherapytoronto.ca