Who was the oldest Indian athlete at Tokyo Olympics 2020?

As the Paris Olympics 2024 approaches, the Indian contingent in France will try to draw inspiration from the successful outing at the Tokyo Olympics 2020, where the 119-strong contingent won a record seven medals.

The Indian contingent at Tokyo had several Olympic stalwarts, including star javelin thrower and eventual gold medalist Neeraj Chopra. The contingent was fairly young as well, with an average age of 26.999 years. But who was the oldest Indian athlete at Tokyo Olympics 2020?

That feat was achieved by skeet shooter Mairaj Ahmad Khan, a two-time Olympian, who took the stage at Tokyo at the age of 45 years.

---

Who is Mairaj Ahmad Khan, the oldest Indian athlete at Tokyo Olympics 2020?

Mairaj Ahmad Khan made history when he became the first Indian skeet shooter to qualify for an Olympics after securing a quota for the Rio Olympics 2016. While he failed to qualify for the final round, he finished his maiden Olympic appearance in ninth place.

Mairaj qualified for the Tokyo Olympics 2020 as well, becoming the oldest performer on the Indian roster. Despite being at the tail end of his career, his perseverance was of the highest order much like his inspiration, Roger Federer.

“I always watch his [Federer’s] games. I always read about him. It gives me immense pleasure…how he is still coping with that kind of pressure, with so many [good] players in tennis now,” Mairaj said in an interview with the Indian Express. “So, here I am, all of 45 and I have teammates who are 23 or 24 years old. And I am drawing inspiration from Federer.”

Despite a disappointing 25th-place finish, Mairaj made his country proud with his professionalism and dedication.

However, tragedy hit Mairaj after his Tokyo Olympics 2020 run, as he lost his father in 2021. After deciding against ending his career, the then-World No. 24 skeet shooter roared back in style by becoming the first Indian athlete to win a gold medal at the ISSF World Cup.

Mairaj was also in the running for the Paris Olympics 2024, going all the way to the final round of qualifications but ultimately lost the final men’s skeet shooting spot to his Tokyo Olympics 2020 compatriot Angad Vir Singh Bajwa. Interestingly, Mairaj used to be Bajwa’s coach when the latter was still new to the skeet shooting scene.

Now, much like the rest of the country, Mairaj will cheer on the three Indian skeet shooters who are in Paris for the Olympics 2024, which commenced on July 26.