Two Days Away From Turning 100, Olympic Gold Medalist Once Again Gets a Chance to Shine in the Mega Games

The oldest living Olympic medalist from France sets out on a quest that combines honor from the past with triumph from the present. As he prepares to carry the torch to the Paris Olympics in 2024, he prepares to relive a significant chapter in his life. His legacy lives on at the age of 100, not only in the golden tones of his Olympic medal but also in the vivid memories he holds dear from the 1948 Games.

Coste was born in 1924 when Paris hosted its last Summer Olympics. 100 spokes and cycle tracks later, focusing resolutely on being the de facto torch bearer this year, it seems to be that his prior disdain of not hearing the French anthem, “Le Marsellaise” in 1948, is a gap that will be bridged. This wish will see the light of day as he nears the autumn of his life.

Charles Coste, an almost centenarian, gets a long-lost dream close to fruition

Charles Coste’s path to Olympic triumph started in 1948 on the London velodromes, where he and Pierre Adam, Serge Blusson, and Fernand Decanali won the gold medal in the track cycling team pursuit event. Besides being a personal accomplishment, this victory served as a source of pride for post-World War II France. Beyond the Olympic arena, Coste’s skill on the track was demonstrated by his triumphs in major cycling events like the Grand Prix des Nations, where he defeated famed Italian rider Fausto Coppi.

“It was a great honour to receive the medal from President Auriol, but the most valuable one is the Olympic medal.” Coste added, about his gold medal win.“ “I will try to do it. It’s a great honour. Back in the day, there were not so many reporters coming to me. It’s a nice birthday present. I wanted to celebrate my 100th birthday peacefully but that’s not happening, –Costa bemoans as he looks to carry the Olympic torch and celebrate his birthday in style. His journey has been one riddled with hardships, but this Olympic gold medalist’s past was marked by the desire to land a gold medal.

A hearken back at the Olympic great

For Charles Coste, the Olympic Games became a symbol of optimism and unification following World War Two. The idea of taking part in the Games offered a brief moment of relief from the chaos of post-war Europe, with recollections of food ration coupons still raw in their memories. For Coste and his teammates, the Games represented more than just a chance for athletic achievement.

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“We still had food ration tickets.” Coste expressed, “There was no TV then, our only goal was to get the gold medal. We were a good team of comrades and we were representing a country that was just out of five years of (German) occupation.” He proves the adage -“age is just a number,” and boy, do we have a fan favorite on our hands this year.

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