Written by “Youth is full of sport, age’s breath is short; youth is nimble, age is lame; Youth is hot and bold, age is weak and cold; Youth is wild, and age is tame.” – William Shakespeare
Veteran equestrian competitor Andrew Hoy might disagree with Shakespeare on that, he has just been included in the Australian Olympic team 37 years after his debut at the Los Angeles Games in 1984. Hoy is a triple gold medallist who as the oldest male competitor has appeared more times in the Olympic arena any other Australian. Hoy becomes only the 13th person to complete in eight games in OIympic history.
“I have never set out to break records on my number of Olympic Games participations — I am just a country boy who loves his horses, has a huge passion for our sport and thrives on being competitive at the top end.” – Andrew Hoy
Mary Hanna made Australian Olympic history in 2016 when at almost 62 she surpassed fellow equestrian Bill Roycroft becoming the nation’s oldest competitor at a Games. Roycroft was 61 when he competed at the Montreal Games in 1976. Hanna, now a 66-year-old grandmother, will join Hoy with her mare Calanta. This will be her sixth Olympic Games and she is the first and the oldest woman to accomplish this feat. Darren Gocher, Equestrian Australia chief, declares Hanna and Hoy testaments to the broad age included in the sport:
“Today we welcome not only the selection of a diverse and talented team of athletes, but we also celebrate the core values of our sport, where men and women compete on equal terms and age is no barrier to achieving success at the highest level,” – Darren Gocher.
The Olympic Games are seen as the province of the super athletic, superhuman, young athletes. But there’s value in maturity, experience, acquired skills honed over decades of dedication and education. Psychological studies have proven that the mental resilience required for gruelling athletic challenges is more prevalent in older competitors, who have grown familiar with the way their body will respond in a given situation. It has also been inferred that the older athlete is able to use their learned life experiences to channel their energies where needed and less likely to be distracted by unnecessary influences.
The inclusiveness of an organisation extends to more than race, or gender, or sexual orientation, inclusiveness means accepting diversity in all aspects of life. Age discrimination is a scourge in any organization, it’s not only unlawful but ultimately works to the detriment of the organization. The breadth of knowledge possible from the inclusion of older individuals has to be acknowledged. Discrimination is based on assumptions and generalisations which are part of an unhealthy culture. Positive leadership will drive the recognition and respect of skill and value regardless of assumptions based on stereotyping and archaic attitudes.