World’s Oldest Olympic Gold Medalist Dies

Sir Durward Knowles, the world’s oldest Olympic gold medalist in sailing has died at the age of 100.

The Bahamian, a former sailor who won an Olympic gold medal in the star classat Tokyo 1964, died in a hospital in Nassau on Feb.24 due to kidney failure.

A sports publication, insidethegames.biz, said that Knowles’ death was announced at the closing ceremony of the recently concluded Pyeongchang winter Olympic.

It read that Knowles who was a 100 year-old  in November 2017 was nicknamed ‘Seawolf’ and was introduced to sailing by his father.

It also read that his first major international competition was in 1946 when he finished third in the World Championships in Havana in Cuba.

“The following year, along with his crew Sloan Farrington, he won the World Championship in Los Angeles.

“His place in Bahamian history was assured when he alongside Farrington as crew, succeeded in winning their country’s first Olympic medal, a bronze at Melbourne 1956,” it read.

It added that Knowles ultimately claimed the top Olympic prize in 1964 when he won the gold with Cecil Cooke as crew at Tokyo 1964.

“Altogether, he took part in eight Olympic Games, his last one being at Seoul 1988 when he was 69-year-old.

“His achievements were recognised when he carried the Bahamas flag during the Opening Ceremony.

“Knowles also won gold medals in the Pan American and the Central American and Caribbean Games.

“He was knighted in 1996,” it stated.

It said that Knowles became the oldest living Olympic champion following the death of Hungarian water polo player, Sándor Tarics, who was 102 years old when he died in May 2016.

The oldest living Olympic champion is now believed to be Finland’s Lydia Wideman, the Winter Olympic 10 kilometres cross-country gold medallist at Oslo 1952, who is 97.

Hungary’s Ágnes Keleti is believed to be the oldest living Summer Olympic champion. She won 10 medals in Gymnastics at Helsinki 1952 and Melbourne 1956, including five gold,” it said.