Andrew Hoy: Breaking Olympics records at 62!

When eight-time Olympian Andrew Hoy became Australia’s oldest Olympic medallist, winning a Tokyo 2020 silver medal as part of the equestrian eventing team, he became news. But the 62-year-old is still news after the Games are over. Apart from the team win, Hoy doubled his tally with an individual bronze medal in the jumping final. Hoy’s horse Vassily de Lassos is 12, not young anymore for a horse. So the old Australian and his old horse broke the record of the previous aged jockey, Bill Roycroft, who had won a bronze at 61.  

Isn’t 62 too old?  
Everyone wanted to know what Andrew Hoy had to say about not just being the oldest jockey to play and win, but also the winner of half a dozen medals. “Did you not know that 60 is the new 20,” Hoy retorted when asked if he was “OK” with being Australia’s oldest Olympian to win a medal at the end of the game.  

Hoy first competed at the Los Angeles Olympics in 1984. He won gold at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona in the team event, and defended his crown at the 1996 and 2000 Olympics, adding an individual silver medal at the Sydney Games. His total haul from the Olympics now ends at six: three gold, two silver, and one bronze. After the Tokyo win, Hoy made it clear that he is not the type who believes in participating for the sake of it. . “We don’t come to these championships, especially Olympic Games, to finish in fourth, fifth or sixth. We only come to get a medal, and look, it’s been a complete team effort,” he said.  

What about the wonder horse?  
Hoy loves his horse. He called Vassily ‘the Usain Bolt of horses’. He claims he has looked up statistics that suggest his chestnut coloured friend is the fastest horse in competitive events in the world right now. Vassily has been to 8 Olympics with his human ‘team-mate’, and both continue to be in excellent shape. While Hoy won medals on the podium, Vassily was rewarded too – with carrots – which the horse absolutely loves eating. Hoy wants to come back at the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028 with Vassily. Best of luck to two tough old-timers!