There’s been plenty of Tokyo Olympics headlines about Hend Zaza, the Syrian table tennis prodigy who, at 12-years-old, is one of the youngest Olympians of all time. And then there’s skateboarder Sky Brown who became Britain’s youngest Olympian medallist at 13.
But there’s some striking personal stories on the other side of the age spectrum, too.
Oksana Chusovitina, a 46-year-old gymnast from Uzbekistan, impressively competed in her eighth Olympic Games last week. Chusovitina, who competed in a sport dominated by teenage athletes, received a standing ovation after performing in what she said would be her last Olympics.
“I feel very good to be here. But this will for sure be my last Olympics,” she told reporters. “I’m 46 years old. Nothing is going to change it.”
“I’m alive, I’m happy, I’m here without any injuries, and I can stand on my own,” she added with a laugh.
Then there’s Australian equestrian Mary Hanna, who at age 66 is the second-oldest female athlete in Olympic history and the oldest Olympian competing in Tokyo.
Through their efforts, Hanna and Chusovitina are changing the conversation around age and agility. They’re proof that you can compete or put yourself up to a physical challenge way past what is considered “your prime,” said Michael Stones, a professor emeritus at Lakehead University in Ontario, Canada, who researches healthy ageing and physical performance.
“It’s terrific that this year’s Olympics includes so many younger and older athletes,” he told HuffPost. “They show that age alone is not an insurmountable barrier to excellence in physical activities.”
These Olympians also lend the games some experience and maturity, especially in team sports, said Sandra Hunter, a professor of exercise science and director of the Human and Athletic Performance Research Center at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
“These older athletes can help mentor the younger ones, particularly with all the mental and psychological challenges that we’ve seen,” she said. “They bring a level of maturity to the teams and surrounding athletes that allow the younger athletes to learn.”
Below, we spotlight 10 older Olympians who are giving it their all at the Tokyo Summer Games.
Hanna, pictured here at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic games with Team Australia's Aislin Jones, already has sights set on the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
“It's only three years away,” she said after competing in dressage qualifiers in Tokyo. “Unless my body really breaks down, I'm certainly aiming for Paris."
Tokyo was Hoy's eighth Games appearance and if he has his way, he'll compete in the the 2032 Olympic Games in Brisbane.
"I've got my eyes set on 2032 – Brisbane," Hoy said. "Big incentive to get there. We will wait and see. Vassily [my horse] is going really well. While I'm healthy I will continue doing what I love doing."
Ni isn't your typical Olympian: According to Radii China, the Shanghai-born mom practises only two or three times per week, warms up for just 10 minutes pre-game and oftentimes relies on her instinct over her sight because of presbyopia.
"It was really nice," she told reporters after her event. "I cried tears of happiness because so many people have supported me for a long time."
"I didn't look at the results, but I feel very proud and happy," she added. "I'm saying goodbye to sports. It's kind of mixed feelings."
Nino and her son Tsotne Machavariani, pictured here,represented Georgia at the 2016 Rio Olympics, becoming the first mother-and-son duo to compete in the same Olympic Games.
If her son has his way, Salukvadze will compete in her 10th Olympics in three years in Paris.
"The whole time we were talking [last], he kept saying, 'This is out of the question. There are three years left. You can go for your tenth Olympics, you have a chance. Why not take it? If you quit, I will quit too!' And I don’t want him to quit," she said.
Ouaddarwas the flag bearer for Morocco at the opening ceremony of the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
"The operation, somehow, motivated me to go to Rio de Janeiro," he said in an interview posted on his Olympic bio. "I was fortunate that the 2016 Olympics were held within a year. My mind wasn't caught by cancer or surgery, but I was looking forward to the competition."
"I am the oldest shooter and the bronze medal is worth more than gold for me. I am very happy for this medal, but I hope at the next Olympics, gold medal. Paris!" he told the Olympic Information Service at the Asaka shooting range.
“I was very inspired by Tom Brady in the Super Bowl, because he kind of proved that there’s no set age or number for when you can do your best," he told Sidelines Magazine in May. "Certainly, I think along those lines and don’t think there’s a set number when you have to stop.”
“I’d like to go for as long as I can, but I also don’t want to be stupid about it," he said. "I don’t see a retirement date at this stage. As long as I’m not embarrassing me or the family, I think I can keep going for a while!”