Venezuela shooter Leonel Martinez qualified to compete at his second Olympics in 2024 — 40 years after his first Olympics.
Martinez, who turned 60 on Sept. 28, finished second in men’s trap at the Pan American Games to earn an Olympic spot for his country.
Venezuela’s Olympic Committee tweeted that Martinez will fill that spot and compete at the Paris Games next summer.
It will be the second-largest gap between Olympic appearances, according to Bill Mallon of the OlyMADMen.
The record is 44 years, set by Japanese dressage rider Hiroshi Hoketsu. Hoketsu competed at the 1964 Tokyo Games at age 23, then returned to the Olympics in 2008 at age 67.
Martinez can become the oldest Olympic shooter since the 2012 London Games and the second-oldest Venezuelan Olympian in history, according to Olympedia.org.
A celebrar, que los dos se van a Pariiiiiiiis 2024
— Comité Olímpico Venezolano (@OfficialCOV) October 27, 2023
Momentos como estos son únicos e inigualables. Douglas Gómez disfruta junto a Leonel Martínez porque ambos se ganaron la plaza a los Juegos Olímpicos. pic.twitter.com/aSrHQm2xoh
Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly reported that Martinez can become the oldest Venezuelan Olympian in history. Shooter Enrico Forcella competed at the 1968 Olympics at age 61, according to the OlyMADMen.
