Going for the Gold: Profiles of Older Olympians

Elizabeth “Libby” Callahan
USA
Age: 56
Residence: Columbia, S.C.
Event: Shooting (women’s sport pistol)
When: Aug. 10 and 13
Olympic history: Fourth Olympics
Fast fact: Retired Washington, D.C., police officer; oldest female ever on a U.S. Olympic team.

John Dane III
USA
Age: 58
Residence: Gulfport, Miss.
Event: Sailing
When: Aug. 6-21
Olympic history: First Olympics; competed in U.S. Olympic trials for more than 40 years before finally making the team this year.
Fast fact: On the Olympic sailing team with son-in-law Austin Sperry.

Debbie McDonald
USA
Age: 53
Residence: Hailey, Idaho
Event: Equestrian (dressage)
When: Aug. 13 and 16
Olympic history: Second Olympics; won a team bronze medal in the 2004 Olympics.
Fast fact: Began her career in show jumping, but turned to dressage after an accident in which her horse fell on her.

Karen O’Connor
USA
Age: 50
Residence: The Plains, Va.
Event: Equestrian (eventing)
When: Aug. 8-12
Olympic history: Fourth Olympics; won a team silver medal in 1996 and a team bronze medal in 2000.
Fast fact: Got her first horse, Midnight, when she was 11.

Hiroshi Hoketsu
Japan
Age: 67
Residence: Tokyo
Event: Equestrian (dressage)
When: Aug. 9-21
Olympic history: Second Olympics; last competed in 1964 Olympics.
Fast fact: Holds a graduate degree in economics from Duke University.

Richard “Butch” Johnson
USA
Age: 52
Residence: Woodstock, Conn.
Event: Archery
When: Aug. 9-15
Olympic history: Fifth Olympics; won a team bronze medal in 2000 and a gold in 1996.
Fast fact: Brother-in-law introduced him to archery at age 15; won his first national title at 17.

Jujie Luan
Canada
Age: 50
Residence:  Edmonton, Alberta
Event: Fencing
When: Aug. 8-17
Olympic History: Fourth Olympics; competed for the Chinese team in 1984, winning a gold medal, and in 1988. First East Asian athlete to win in the sport of fencing.
Fast fact: Native of Nanjing, China; her image is on a Chinese postage stamp issued in 2006.

Laurie Lever
Australia
Age: 60
Residence: Somerville, Victoria
Event: Equestrian (show jumping)
When: Aug. 9-21
Olympic history: First Olympics.
Fast fact: Oldest member of the Australian team.

Ian Millar
Canada
Age: 61
Residence: Perth, Ontario
Event: Equestrian (show jumping)
When: Aug. 9-21
Olympic history: Ninth Olympics; has competed in every Olympics since 1972 and will tie for most Olympic appearances ever with nine.
Fast fact: Has careers in finance, radio broadcasting and hotel and restaurant management.

Susan Nattrass
Canada
Age: 57
Residence: Medicine Hat, Alberta
Event: Trap shooting
When: Aug. 10-11
Olympic history: Fourth Olympics; in 1976 Olympics became the first woman to compete in a shooting event. Finished 9th in 2000 and 6th in 2004.
Fast fact: Her 88-year-old mother, Marie, is her coach.

Haile Satayin
Israel
Age: 53
Residence: Hadera
Event: Marathon
When: Aug. 24
Olympic history: Placed 20th in the 2004 Olympics.
Fast fact: Native of Ethiopia; airlifted to Israel along with more than 14,000 Ethiopian Jews in 1991.