Fascinating article this week on the OlympStats website about athletes who have competed in multiple Olympics. Turns out only about 30% of athletes make it to a second Games, although winter Games athletes have a slightly better chance of coming back, and women slightly more than men. You can read it right here:
http://olympstats.com/2016/02/11/competing-in-multiple-olympics/
Archery rates pretty well for athletes making it to multiple Games, reflecting the longer possible career compared to many endurance sports. When it come to athletes who have attended more than four Olympics, it sits mid-table, with shooting taking the top prize. Table-tennis ranks surprisingly highly though. The list of archery multiple Olympians is here:
6 Olympics: Ilario Di Buò, Alison Williamson (above, pictured), Natalia Valeeva.
5 Olympics: Simon Fairweather, Giancarlo Ferrari, Butch Johnson, Tomi Poikolainen, Hiroshi Yamamoto, Khatuna Lorig.
4 Olympics: Aurora Bretón, Emilio Dutra e Mello, Michele Frangilli, Steven Hallard, Kyösti Laasonen, Takayoshi Matsushita, Rick McKinney, Natalia Nasaridze-Çakir, Joanna Nowicka-Kwaśna, Magnus Petersson, Cornelia Pfohl, Evangelia Psarra, Balzhinima Tsyrempilov, Antonio Vázquez, Stanislav Zabrodsky.
Alison Williamson was previously considering trying to join the elite ranks of those who had attended seven Olympics games, which would have been a UK record and a record for the sport, but decided to retire in 2014. Of the list above, Natalia Valeeva is still very much competing on the top level, although Italy currently only has a single spot qualified for Rio. As has the USA, with Khatuna Lorig qualifying a single spot in Copenhagen – but not necessarily her spot. The legend that is Michele Frangilli is also still competing, and may well feature in Rio. The story goes on. And on.
Archery – an endurance sport? It just lasts a long time, like golf or cricket 🙂 Love the blog!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Endurance_sports
I strongly believe Khatuna Lorig, our Pan American Games and U.S. National Champion, will be able to make the Rio Olympics!