A 66-year-old equestrian rider is set to become Japan's oldest Olympian at this summer's Beijing Olympics. Hiroshi Hoketsu represented Japan at the Tokyo Olympics in 1964 and is preparing to make a comeback in Beijing. Hoketsu, who will turn 67 next month, would surpass the previous record for Japan set by Kikuko Inoue, who represented her country in an equestrian event at the 1988 Seoul Games at age 63. Japanese officials are expected to formally name their Olympic squad next week, and Hoketsu, who has continued riding since the 1964 Games, is a leading candidate to be named to the team. Hoketsu finished 40th in the showjumping event in 1964. Japanese equestrian officials said Hoketsu will likely take part in the less physically demanding team dressage event in Beijing. The oldest Olympian was Swedish shooter Oscar Swahn. Swahn was 64 years, 258 days old when he won a shooting gold in the 1912 Stockholm Games. Swahn came back eight years later, at 72, to win a silver in Antwerp, Belgium — his sixth medal over three games.
