Hiroshi Hoketsu

Hiroshi Hoketsu (法華津寛, Hoketsu Hiroshi, born March 28, 1941) is a Japanese equestrian rider.

Hiroshi Hoketsu
Hiroshi Hoketsu at the 2012 London Summer Olympics at Greenwich Park
Born	(1941-03-28) March 28, 1941 (age 82)
Nationality	Japanese

Biography edit

He competed in the 1964 Summer Olympics, finishing 40th in show jumping. Hoketsu also qualified for the 1988 Summer Olympics, but was unable to compete when his horse was quarantined.

At the 2008 Summer Olympics on August 13, 2008, he finished 9th in the Dressage Team Grand Prix and 35th in the Dressage Individual Grand Prix.^[1] In 2012, at the age of 70, Hoketsu won a berth for Japanese representation for the 2012 Summer Olympics in individual dressage^[2] and in competition of equestrian at the 2012 Summer Olympics – Individual dressage he finished 40th.

In his 70s, the 1968 graduate of Duke University is regarded as the "hope for old men".^[2]^[3] He was the oldest athlete in the 2008 and 2012 Summer Olympics. Hoketsu is the oldest Olympian to ever compete for Japan, and is the third oldest Olympian to compete ever, next to shooter Oscar Swahn of Sweden, who won a silver in the 1920 Summer Olympics and Arthur von Pongracz, who competed at age 72 in Dressage in 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin.^[4]^[5]

^ "Hiroshi Hoketsu Bio". NBCOlympics.com. Retrieved August 9, 2008.
^ ^a ^b . London2012.com. Archived from the original on August 12, 2012.
^ "Maybe Hiroshi Hoketsu, the oldest Olympian, is just horsing around". Los Angeles Times. August 3, 2012. Retrieved August 9, 2012.
^ "Oldest and Youngest Olympians (Summer Games)". Topendsports.com. Retrieved July 16, 2014.
^ "Preparing to compete at London 2012 Olympics at 70". BBC Sport. March 7, 2012. Retrieved August 8, 2012.

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