US EditionRich Ruohonen Becomes Oldest U.S. Winter Olympian in 2026 Curling Match
Rich Ruohonen, 54, made Olympic history as the oldest American Winter Olympian after subbing in during the curling match against Switzerland at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
- At the Milan‑Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, Rich Ruohonen, an alternate for the U.S. men's curling team, entered the match against Switzerland during the eighth end on Thursday, February 12, 2026.
- Because the skip fell ill, Team Casper reached out to Ruohonen, whom they had kept on the roster for his experience roughly 18 months earlier.
- Having competed in U.S. Olympic Trials since 2006, Ruohonen has 45 years of curling experience and senior world medals including silver in 2024 and bronze in 2025.
- The United States lost 8-3 to Switzerland, conceding after eight ends, and Rich Ruohonen became the oldest Team USA Winter Olympian, surpassing Joseph Savage's record of 52.
- Looking at the bigger picture, teammates praised his perseverance after six trials and his successful Twin Cities legal career, with jokes about him as 'a dad taking his kids to the Olympics.
138 Articles
138 Articles
Who Is Rich Ruohonen? Meet America's Oldest Winter Olympics Competitor
Team USA curler Rich Ruohonen has broken a Winter Olympics record simply with his age. Ruohonen, 54, subbed into a men’s curling game during the 2026 Winter Olympics, making him the oldest American to compete in the Winter Games in nearly 100 years. Ruohonen has been competing in curling events since 1981. He first participated in the sport in the fifth grade, when he started playing Saturday mornings at the St. Paul Curling Club, according to h…
Ruohonen's presence in the US curling team meant a historical record for winter olympism, as never before had a representative from that country participated in the competition at that age.
54-year-old Minnesota lawyer becomes oldest U.S. Winter Olympian
U.S. curler Rich Ruohonen made Olympic history after joining the team as an alternate at the end of the game. On Thursday, the U.S. men trailed Switzerland 8-2 in their opening round-robin match when they subbed him in. Ruohonen stepped…
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