PARIS, France — As the Paris Olympic Games get underway, some athletes who will compete on the world stage are teenagers – or even younger.
There is no age limit for participating in the Olympic Games, according to the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
International federations of each sport can set age minimums, such as gymnastics (16 years of age) or wrestling (18 years old), among others.
That means older athletes and young athletes have equal access to the chance of becoming Olympians if their talents can get them there.
Youngest athlete at Paris Olympics
At the Paris Olympics, skateboarder Zheng Haohao is the youngest competitor at just 11 years old. Haohao is representing China and will turn 12 in August, just as the Olympic Games come to a close.
She competes in the women’s park competition Tuesday, Aug. 6.
Youngest athletes representing Team USA
One of the youngest athletes on Team USA also secured the title of gold medalist on Tuesday. Gymnast Hezly Rivera is 16 years old.
In the qualifying round, Rivera’s scores were the lowest of Team USA and dropped from the total. She did not compete in the women’s team final, but she still earns a gold medal alongside Simone Biles, Jordan Chiles, Jade Carey and Suni Lee.
At 16 years old, Quincy Wilson is the youngest male runner to ever represent Team USA at the Olympics. Wilson ran at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials in June, qualifying for the team’s relay pool and setting a new under-18 world record in the 400-meter race twice.
Then a few weeks later, he broke that world record again with a time of 44.20 seconds.
Wilson is one of six runners who could make an appearance in the men’s 4x400-meter relay in Paris Friday, Aug. 9.
