Claudia Pechstein becomes oldest female Winter Olympian at age 49

On day one of the 2022 Winter Olympics, German speed skater Claudia Pechstein broke a few records despite finishing off the podium.

Competing in the women’s 3000m, the 49-year-old Pechstein became both the oldest woman to compete at a Winter Olympics and the second athlete – and only woman – to compete in eight Winter Games.

Pechstein now shares the Winter Olympic participation record with Japanese ski jumper Noriaki Kasai, who competed at his eighth Games in PyeongChang.

The previous women’s age record was held by Anne Abernathy, a luger from the U.S. Virgin Islands who was 48 at her fifth Olympics in 2002.

If Pechstein wants to break the overall winter age record, she’ll need to keep competing til at least 2034 Winter Games. That record – according to Olympedia.org – is held by Swedish curler Carl August Kronlund, who was 58 years, 158 days old when he won silver in curling at the inaugural Winter Olympics in 1924.

Earlier this week, when asked what her goal was for the Beijing Games, she replied with a laugh and a fitting answer for these Olympics: “To be negative for Covid.”

Pechstein is also expected to compete in speed skating’s mass start event, which will be held on Saturday, February 19.

The Berlin resident turns 50 on February 22, two days after the Closing Ceremony of the 2022 Winter Olympics.

This story will continue to be updated.