50-year-old Slovenian Ottey to become oldest athlete to compete at European Championships

50-year-old to compete at European Championships

BARCELONA, Spain — Fifty-year-old Merlene Ottey could become the oldest athlete to compete at the European Championships after Slovenia named the sprinter to its 4×100 relay team.

Ottey, a naturalized Slovenian of Jamaican origin, would make her Barcelona debut in the July 31 heats.

Ottey has won 29 medals at major competitions, including seven Olympics starting with Moscow in 1980.

Ottey, who first raced for Slovenia in the championships four years ago, has already clocked 11.84 seconds over 100 meters this season. She was second in the Slovenian championships.

French marathon runner Nicole Brakebusch-Leveque is currently the oldest athlete to compete in the European games at the age of 47.