get email updates with the day's biggest stories invalid email something went wrong, please try again later. sign up thank you for subscribing we have more newsletters show me see our privacy notice as the rio olympics gather pace - we have already seen some of the youngest stars to compete in the games shine on the big stage. a 13-year-old swimmer has taken part, while other teens across a host of sports have seen their name in lights in brazil. with youngsters making a name for themselves in front of a global audience, just how old do you have to be to compete in the olympics? here is all you need to know... how old do you have to be to compete at the olympics? video loading video unavailable click to play tap to play the video will auto-play soon 8 cancel play now now - there's a question. and one to which, you will not be surprised to hear, there is not a simple answer. there are no general age limits set for the olympics across the board. however, different sports' governing bodies can impose age limits which are enforced by the international sports federation and approved by the international olympic committee. for example, gymnastics requires athletes to be at least 16 years of age. who is the youngest athlete at this year's games? image: reuters image: reuters image: reuters out of over 10,000 competitors in rio, swimmer gaurika singh, at 13 years and 255 days, is the youngest. the nepalese won her 100m backstroke heat, but did not achieve a fast enough time to progress further in the event. london-based singh was not able to be accompanied by her regular coach rhys gormley at the games, but still relied on his intuition via text message when she suffered a slight wardrobe malfunction before the biggest race of her life. singh ripped her swimsuit in the minutes before her heat, and said: he's been texting me and sending me instructions. “i had to ask him whether or not i should change it [the suit]. i was trying to pull it up and my nail went through the suit.” on her first olympic experience, she added: “it was amazing just looking up on that board and seeing my time.” who is the youngest olympian ever? greek gymnast dimitrios loundras holds the official title of the youngest olympian ever, having being among the first ever to compete at the inaugural modern games in 1896. at 10 years old he won a bronze medal with his team in athens. can you be too old to compete at the olympics? image: agif/rex/shutterstock as with lower age limits, there is no official upper age limit to compete at the games, but a minority of sports do have restrictions. olympic boxing does not allow competitors over the age of 40, while in football only three players on any one team are permitted to be over the age of 23. who is the oldest olympian ever? image: scott barbour/getty images image: getty image: getty swede oscar swahn represented his country at shooting aged 72 years, 281 days in the 1920 olympics, and is still the oldest ever participant. he also qualified for the 1924 olympics but withdrew from the games without competing. the oldest competitor at this year's games is mary hanna who is representing australia in the equestrian event at her fifth olympics, aged 61. britain's jo pavey, 19 years hanna's junior, will also compete at her fifth games in the 10,000 metres running event.
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