Today we have two milestone birthdays among the Oldest Olympians so, yet again, we are combining them into a single blog post rather than choosing between them!
(Lightbourn-Jones, pictured on page 86 of the April 28, 1957 edition of the Hartford Courant)
First, we are wishing a happy 96th birthday to Phyllis Lightbourn-Jones, the oldest living Olympian from Bermuda! Lightbourn-Jones represented her nation in five events across two editions of the Games – in 1948 and 1952 – but did not reach the final round of any of them. She later married an American Naval Officer and moved to Connecticut, where, in 1957, she volunteered to coach at the United States Coast Guard Academy, where her husband was teaching chemistry. When her offer was accepted, she became the first woman, at the age of 28, to coach track and field at an institution of higher education. She now resides in Naples, Florida.
Secondly, we are wishing Giuseppe Moioli, the oldest Olympic rowing champion and Italian Olympic medalist, a happy 97th birthday! Moioli won gold in the coxless fours at the 1948 London Games, just missed the podium in fourth in 1956 Melbourne, and also competed in 1952 Helsinki. He was a five-time European champion in this event between 1947 and 1956, and also won with the eights in 1958, in addition to a coxless fours gold medal at the 1955 Mediterranean Games. He later worked as a coach.