In 1996, who became the first person to compete in nine Olympics?

In 1996, Hubert Raudaschl became the first person to compete in nine Olympics. The Austrian sailor’s Olympic career stretched from Tokyo 1964 through Atlanta 1996, covering nine editions of the Games.

Raudaschl competed in several sailing classes, including the Finn, Star and Soling. He won silver medals in the Finn class at Mexico City in 1968 and in the Star class at Moscow in 1980. His long career made him one of the most enduring competitors in Olympic history.

The wording refers to participation, not nine Olympic medals or nine consecutive Games. Raudaschl had also been present at the 1960 Olympics as an 18-year-old substitute, but he did not compete there, so that appearance is not included in the record.

His record eventually changed when Canadian equestrian Ian Millar competed at his tenth Olympics in 2012. Raudaschl’s achievement remains especially notable because sailing careers require both elite athletic skill and decades of technical experience.