Oldest Olympians is saddened to learn that Jamaican track athlete George Rhoden, born December 13, 1926, died August 24 at the age of 97. Rhoden first represented his country at the 1948 London Olympics, where he was eliminated in the semi-finals of the 400 metres event and also competed in the men’s 4×400 metres relay. He was much more successful in these events at the 1952 edition of the Games, taking gold in both. Prior to this tournament, he had set a world record in the 400 metres in 1950 and had won NCAA championships as a student at Morgan State University in Baltimore. He later became a podiatrist.

(Sheila Lerwill, pictured at The Streatham Society)

At the time of his death, Rhoden was the oldest living Jamaican Olympic medalist and the oldest medalist in Olympic track and field. Unfortunately, we know of no other Jamaican Olympic medalists over the age of 90, but the new oldest living Olympic track and field medalist is Sheila Lerwill, born August 16, 1928. Lerwill won a silver medal for Great Britain in the high jump at the 1952 Helsinki Games. She captured that title at the 1950 European Championships and came in fourth at the 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games. After coming in fifth at that year’s Europeans, she retired from active competition.

As an additional note, the oldest living Olympic champion in track and field athletics is now Greg Bell, born November 7, 1930. Bell represented the United States at the 1956 Melbourne Games, where he won a gold medal in the long jump. He was a three-time national champion, a two time collegiate champion, and a 1959 Pan American Games silver medalist. He later became a dentist and served as a director of dentistry at an Indiana hospital.

Finally, a few months ago we featured Chilean Gerda Martín, born September 5, 1927, as our Olympian of the day. Unfortunately, we have now learned that she had died on April 5, before we posted, at the age of 96.