70-year-old rider qualifies for London Olympics

Tokyo: Japanese equestrian rider Hiroshi Hoketsu has qualified for a spot at the London Olympics at the age of 70.[caption id="attachment_233482" align="alignleft" width="380" caption="File photo of equestrian event: Reuters"][/caption]Hoketsu, who will turn 71 on March 28, qualified by winning an international dressage meet in France on Thursday. Japanese equestrian officials said Sunday that an announcement will be made soon on whether he will actually compete in London.Hoketsu, who is based in Germany, become Japan's oldest Olympian when he took part in the 2008 Beijing Olympics at the age of 67.The oldest Olympian in history was Swedish shooter Oscar Swahn, who won a silver medal at the 1920 Olympics in Antwerp, Belgium, at 72 years old. It was his sixth medal in three games.Reuters