Rich Ruohonen Makes Olympic History At 54 Years Young

Here’s a little inspiration for anyone who’s blown out 50 candles on a birthday cake and wondered if their glory days are behind them: they’re not.

A 54-year-old Minnesotan just made Olympic history — and he didn’t need a farewell tour to do it.

Get our free mobile app

During a tough matchup against Switzerland, Team USA’s men’s curling squad found themselves in a lopsided game. Rather than let the starters grind through a blowout, the team made the call to sub in an alternate to finish things out. That alternate? Rich Ruohonen — a personal injury attorney from Brooklyn Park.

And just like that, history.

This wasn’t some ceremonial appearance or feel-good publicity stunt. Ruohonen has been curling since his teenage years. He’s been knocking on the Olympic door for decades, competing seriously in five separate Olympic Trials. This year, he earned a spot as an alternate — and when his moment came, he stepped onto the ice and into the record books.

Yes, Team USA lost the game 8–3. But the bigger story? Ruohonen became the oldest American ever to compete in the Olympics, breaking a record that had stood since the 1932 Winter Games in Lake Placid. The previous mark belonged to 52-year-old figure skater Joseph Savage.

So if you’re 50-something and wondering if you’ve still “got it,” take note: sometimes experience isn’t a liability — it’s history waiting to happen.