11 Olympic champions who lived to be 100: their sports and fate afterward

It is believed that the average age of Olympic champions is 67 years. In fact, the list of long-livers is impressive. We have gathered those who were lucky enough to celebrate the centenary.

Sándor Taric (Hungary), water polo

Water polo player Sándor Taric is a legend of Hungarian sport. He became a six-time winner of the national championship and the champion of the University Games. But his triumph came at the Summer Olympics in Berlin, which were held in 1936. Then in the final of the tournament Shandor, as a member of the national water polo team, defeated the hosts – the German national team. For his services in sports he was awarded the medal of the Hungarian Olympic Committee and the Commander’s Cross for Civil Merit.

After finishing his sports career, Sándor became an architect. And even opened his own office in San Francisco. Tarich was a professor at California Technological University and an employee of the UN seismological commission.

At the time of his death, he was considered the oldest living Olympic champion. He was five months short of living to be 103 years old.

Babe Rockefeller (USA), rowing.

A member of the richest American family was an Olympic champion. In 1924, Babe was awarded a gold medal at the Games in Paris.

In addition to sports, Rockefeller continued the family’s business. For many years he worked on Wall Street. He served as president of the National City Bank of New York. During World War II he served in the U.S. Air Force. He held the rank of lieutenant colonel.

He died of a stroke at the age of 102. He had 14 grandchildren, 37 great-grandchildren and one great-great-granddaughter.

Agnes Keleti (Hungary), artistic gymnastics

Agnesh joined artistic gymnastics at the age of four. Already at 16 she took her first national title. During the Second World War, Keleti was able to survive the holocaust. She was not broken even by such severe ordeals. Then she turned her attention to sports. Successes allowed Agnesh to get a place in the national team.

Keleti took part in two Olympics: in 1952 and 1956. The Hungarian became a five-time Olympic champion, and also took four silver and three bronze medals.

She is the oldest athlete in the history of the sport to win more than one Olympic medal. Last year, Agnesh set the record for the longest life expectancy for a female Games gold medalist. She is now 102 years old.

Ali van den Bos (Netherlands), artistic gymnastics

The Dutch athlete took part in a historic event. She was part of the national team at the Summer Olympics in 1928. Then for the first time competitions among women in artistic gymnastics were held. And immediately – gold!

Ali van den Bos died in 2003 at the age of 101.

Leon Stukel (Yugoslavia), artistic gymnastics

This gymnast was able to write his name in the history of sports in Yugoslavia. Stukel is the only one who became a three-time Olympic champion and five-time world champion.

At the Games in 1924, he took two golds. He won in the all-around and in the horizontal bar exercises. At the next tournament, he again climbed the podium. This time he was the best in the rings exercises. He also won bronze medals in the all-around and as a member of the national team in the team competition.

Leon was forced to miss the Games in 1932. The authorities of Yugoslavia could not financially provide a trip to the Olympics. But already in 1936 (at the age of 38) Stukel took the silver medal in the rings.

After leaving great sport, he worked in law.

He was inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame. In Slovenia, a national holiday was declared in honor of Stukel’s centenary. He lived only four days before his 101st birthday.

Evelyn Furch (USA), track and field athletics

From an early age, the athlete was characterized by high results in running. As a student she finished second at the Association of American Universities tournament. She qualified for the Los Angeles Olympics in 1932. As a member of the U.S. team, she twice set the Olympic record in the 4×100-meter race. She is a member of the Orange County Sports Hall of Fame. After her career ended, she devoted herself to her family, raising five children.

Furch is the first female track and field gold medalist to live to see her 100th birthday. She passed away shortly after the celebration.

Attilio Pavesi (Italy), cycling

The athlete is a two-time champion of the X Olympic Games. In Los Angeles, Pavesi won first the individual and then the team road race. After the end of his professional career, he moved to Argentina. Here the Italian organized competitive cycling events.

Died at the age of 100 years 10 months.

Feroz Khan (India), field hockey

Feroz Khan has a rare achievement. He won Olympic Games both as a player and as a coach. In 1928 at the Amsterdam Games, he played two matches in which he scored five goals against Belgium.

After that he decided to become a hockey coach. Represented not his country but Pakistan. The reason – a quarrel with the Indian coaching staff. Under his leadership, the team won gold medals at the Rome Summer Olympics and Asian Summer Games.

Died at the age of 100 years and seven months.

Erik Herseth (Norway), sailing

Erik was a participant in the 1920 Summer Olympics. He was part of the crew of the boat Eleda. The team won the gold medal in the 10 meter class. An interesting fact is that Herseth was also an opera singer. At the time of his participation in the Games, he was a member of the Vienna Folk Opera.

He passed away at the age of 101.

Darward Knowles (Great Britain, Bahamas), sailing

Knowles made his Games debut at the age of 30. Then, in 1948, he represented Great Britain. When the Bahamas Olympic Association was created in 1952, Durward was declared for the new country. It was her colors of the flag defended the athlete in Tokyo. Successfully – an Olympic award. It became the first gold medal in the history of the independent territory.

Two sons of Sir Darward Knowles also took part in the Olympics. True, in a different sport – swimming.

He died at the age of 100 years and three months.

Godfrey Rampling (Great Britain), athletics

The British officer twice became a participant of the Olympic Games. In 1932, he was only second in the 4×400 relay. But four years later he took the main award in this discipline.

The athlete served in the Royal Artillery. Was attached to NATO. The sports star has a famous daughter – Hollywood actress Charlotte Rampling.

Godfrey Rampling lived 100 years and one month.