Who is the all-time youngest athlete to compete at the Olympics?

Dimitrios Loundras is the youngest athlete to compete at the Olympics.

There have been 32 editions of the Summer Olympics so far. But, the youngest Olympian record was set in the inaugural edition of the Summer Games in 1896. Dimitrios Loundras at the age of 10 years and 216 days competed in the 1896 Athens Olympics.

Loundras competed in men’s Artistic Gymnastics. He is also the youngest medal winner in the Olympics. Loundras won the bronze medal in the parallel bars team. 

The Greek athlete’s record still stands today even after 128 years. It is one of the longest standing records in the sporting arena. Loundras represented the Ethnikos Gymnastikos Syllogos team and helped them reach the podium.

Loundras was born on 6 September 1885. He remains the only athlete to have competed at the Summer Games before the age of 11. There have been 13 athletes who have taken part in the Olympics at the age of 11.

The talent of Loundras can be seen by the longevity of his record. He was competing with athletes thrice his age and still managed to secure the bronze medal for his country. 

Loundras and his achievements have made the Olympic passage deemed possible for the youngest of athletes. The talents at such a young age shows the determination and grit he had to compete and win medals against the top athletes over the world.

Also Read: Who was the youngest athlete at Tokyo Olympics 2020?

The top four youngest athletes at the 1896 Athens Olympics were from Greece. Since then there have been only teenagers who have come a bit close to Loundras and his record at the 1896 Athens Olympics.

At present most of the National Olympic Committee have set an age limit for athletes. It has been done to safeguard youngsters. Most of the NOC has a minimum age limit of 13 plus, while few of them have 16 plus and even 18 plus as the minimum age limit.

It is upon the respective federations of a region which determine the age limit. As of now there is still not a fixed limit to compete at the Olympics. But each country or committee has set their own limit in order to protect the athletes.

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