Rising at the crack of dawn and crunching 50 sit-ups before breakfast, record-breaking Japanese Olympian Hiroshi Hoketsu bristles when asked about his age.
But the equestrian rider, who at the age of 67 will become Japan’s oldest Olympic representative at the Beijing Games in August, has grudgingly begun to accept his new-found fame.
“Initially I was a little reluctant about having my age splashed across the news,” Hoketsu told Reuters in an interview on Tuesday.
“I didn’t see why my age should be such a big thing. It wasn’t relevant. I wasn’t selected for the Olympics because I’m 67.”
Hoketsu last took part in an Olympics 44 years ago at the 1964 Tokyo Games, finishing 40th in the show jumping competition.
He switched to the less physically demanding dressage in his mid-30s and was selected for Japan’s team for the Seoul Olympics 20 years ago.
“I didn’t take part in Seoul because there were quarantine problems with my horse,” said the German-based Hoketsu. “It’s not like I disappeared for 44 years.
“At the Tokyo Olympics I was still a kid — I was 22 years old and in a dream world. Just being selected was my biggest goal then. Taking part was a bit of a fluke.”
Hoketsu is set to eclipse the previous record age for a Japanese Olympian set by fellow equestrian Kikuko Inoue, who was 63 when she rode at the Seoul Games in 1988.
The oldest Olympian was Swedish shooter Oscar Swahn, who bagged his sixth Olympic medal at the 1920 Antwerp Games at the grand age of 72 years and 280 days.

MEDIA STORM
“I was back in Germany when the Japanese media started kicking up a fuss about me so I hadn’t experienced the storm first hand until now,” said Hoketsu.
“It’s not as if I’m going to win a medal at the Olympics so obviously the reason for the interest is my age. I’m beginning to feel my age with all the fuss but I want to show that I’m actually getting better as I get older.”
Hoketsu insists he has no secret formula for appearing to have defied the ageing process, beyond waking up before sunrise and riding his horse across dew-wet fields.
“I haven’t smoked for 30 years but I used to smoke and drink so it’s not like I’m that stoic,” he smiled. “I always woke up at 5 a.m. and go for a ride before going to the office.
“After I retired, my wife let me go to Germany. Before the Athens Olympics in 2004 I went over to look for a horse and began thinking about trying to make an Olympic comeback.”
Hoketsu found his current horse ‘Whisper’ in Germany and settled in the city of Aachen, along the country’s border with Belgium and the Netherlands.
“I thought about quitting and coming back to Japan many times,” he said. “But I’m stubborn. I have improved technically, not just experience-wise, and feel I can get even better.”

MAJOR TEST
Hoketsu admitted the stifling humidity forecast for the Olympic period, as well as fears over equine influenza and bird flu, will prove a major test for both horse and rider.
“Hong Kong will more than likely be more humid than a Japanese summer — maybe 80 percent humidity and over 30 degrees celsius, which is stressful for the horse,” he said.
“We’ve been told the stables will be air-conditioned but we’ll have to take care not to over-work the horse in practice, in order to keep her fresh.”
Hoketsu is adamant he will not ride off into the sunset post-Beijing.
“In dressage my age is a plus,” he said. “I have experience but I’m also in the best form of my life. I don’t know if this is my big chance or my last chance.
“But I started riding when I was 12 and if anything I’m more passionate about it than ever.”

from: chinadaily.com.cn

Hiroshi Hoketsu, a 66-year-old equestrian rider, is set to become Japan’s oldest Olympian after being officially named Wednesday to the team for Beijing.
Hoketsu, who will be 67 next month, has been named to compete in the team dressage event after a 44-year break from the Games.
He was a member of Japan’s equestrian team at the Tokyo Olympics in 1964 where he finished 40th in showjumping.
“We are very happy he has been named to the team,” said Hideki Yamauchi, an official with the Japan Equestrian Federation. “It’s quite an accomplishment to return to the Olympics after 44 years.”
Hoketsu will surpass the previous age record for Japan set by Kikuko Inoue, who represented her country in an equestrian event at the 1988 Seoul Games at age 63.
The oldest Olympian was Swedish shooter Oscar Swahn. Swahn was 64 years old when he won a shooting gold in the 1912 Stockholm Games and then returned eight years later, aged 72, to win a silver in Antwerp, Belgium - his sixth medal over three Games.

from: canadianpress.google.com 

China’s Hong Kong has sent a five-member delegation to observe the equestrian events of the 24th Southeast Asian Games now being held in Pattaya, Thailand.
The visit is to gain experience for the next year’s Olympic equestrian events, Xinhua News Agency quoted a delegation member as saying.
The visitors, belonging to the Equestrian Events (HK) of the Games of the XXIX Olympiad Co., Ltd, come from different departments and are responsible for observing the SE Games competition facilities and procedures, cultural activities, security, transport, catering, accommodations and other matters. They have already toured an equestrian venue of a private polo club.
Zhao Chongguo, an official of the company, said since the founding of his company in March 2006, it has engaged in extensive preparations for the Olympic equestrian events in an attempt to learn more from the experiences of the organizers of other sporting events.
The company is doing its best to face the challenge of holding the historic-caliber Olympic events, as the Olympics is not a tournament of the regional or national level but rather of the top, world level, Zhao said.

from: beijing2008.cn