One of those rare athletes who had two Olympic appearances 20 years apart, Fausto Puccini was a dressage rider. At his second Olympic appearance, Atlanta in 1996, he was almost nine months past his 63rd birthday, making him the oldest ever Italian Olympian (through 2012). Puccini was the first Italian dressage rider to win an international overseas, winning in 1983 at Lipica, Poland, while riding Goldyoung. He was a six-time Italian dressage champion, and earlier in his career, had competed in show jumping. His daughter, Desiree, later became a top Italian rider in dressage. Fausto Puccini’s career was as an entrepreneur in the hospitality industry.
Italy