Spain’s Jess ngel Garca, 51, has now participated in 8 Olympics

Spain’s Jesús Ángel García Bragado competed for the 8th time at the Olympics. The 51-year-old has appeared in every Olympics since 1992. The Tokyo Olympics also marked his last game with his participation in the 50km race walk.

Interestingly, this was also probably the last time this sport would be played at the Olympics because it has been cancelled for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Although he secured the 35th position, he managed to break the record to register the most Olympic appearances of any athlete in history.

“I will not deny that it is something extraordinary to participate in eight Games,” Bragado told Digis Mak. “On a personal level it is very important to have reached where I wanted and to retire at the moment I have decided.”

While the athlete has never won a medal, he took the fifth spot at the 2004 Athens Olympics and fourth at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

“It will always stay inside me not having been able to be on a podium after going to so many games,” he continued.

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Revealing that the secret to his consistent participation is his attitude, he said, “I have been fortunate to always find enthusiasm and motivation to continue one more year.”

“And when the age and serious injuries have arrived, I have always found a solution to continue working,” he continued.

Tokyo Olympics’ official blog congratulated the athlete on appearing for his 8th Olympic game and read, “A special mention for Spain’s Jesús Ángel García Bragado, who finished 35th in the men’s 50km race walk”

“He made his debut at Barcelona 1992 and has taken part in every Olympic 50km race since. What a way to sign off.”

Bragado’s first Olympics was in Barcelona, his home town, in 1992. He has since then attended all the Olympics and competed in a 50km men’s race walk.