What Athletes Had The Longest Gap Between Their First And Last Medal At The Winter Olympics?

Most athletes who compete at the Winter Olympics will never know what it’s like to win a medal, and the vast majority of competitors will only have a few chances to check that box before accepting they’re past their prime. However, there are some who have managed to defy the odds while taking home multiple medals across an impressive span of time.

These are the athletes responsible for the longest stretch between their first and final medal at the Winter Olympics

As things currently stand, the maximum shelf life for the Winter Olympics seems to be eight competitions, as we’re still waiting for the day someone competes in them for the ninth time (Canadian equestrian Ian Millar and Georgian shooter Nino Salukvadze hold the record for appearances at the Summer Olympics with ten).

Simply earning a spot at The Games over a lengthy span of time doesn’t necessarily mean you’re going to be in the hunt for a medal, but there are a couple of athletes who’ve really flexed their longevity by winning one two decades after getting their first.

Noriaki Kasai, Japan, Ski Jumping

The first, and the person to do so most recently, is Noriaki Kasai, who is one of the two people who’ve competed in the Winter Olympics eight times (German speed skater Claudia Pechstein is the only other member of that club).

He got his first medal, a silver in the team large hill, at the age of 21 in Lillehammer in 1994, but he was not able to return to the podium in any of his next four trips to the Olympics.

Kasai was a massive dark horse in Sochi in 2014, but he came out of nowhere to win a silver in the individual large hill while getting another bronze in the team event. The latter made him the oldest ski jumper to secure some hardware at the Winter Olympics, and he still holds the record at 41 years and 256 days.

John Heaton, United States, Bobsled and Skeleton

John Heaton made his Winter Olympic debut in 1928 in St. Moritz, the Swiss resort town that was essentially responsible for the creation of the two disciplines he competed in during his three appearances on that particular stage.

The 19-year-old won the silver in skeleton that year while his brother, Jennison, earned the same as a member of America’s four-man bobsled team. John was the one who ended up on the podium in that second discipline in Lake Placid in 1932, as he and Robert Minton got the bronze for Team USA in the inaugural two-man event.

Heaton subsequently took a lengthy hiatus from the Olympics while devoting his time to serving as an international ambassador for skeleton and other winter sports, but he decided to come back for one last ride when St. Moritz was tapped to host again in 1948.

That ended up being a pretty good decision, as the 39-year-old (who served as America’s flag bearer during the opening ceremonies) got his second silver in skeleton to end his Winter Olympics career on a high note.