54-Year-Old Curler Rich Ruohonen Makes History as Oldest Winter Olympian for Team USA

Ruohonen, a lawyer from Minnesota, has competed in curling events since 1981 and won multiple U.S. Curling Championships.

Published on Feb. 13, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Rich Ruohonen, a 54-year-old curler from Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, has made history as the oldest American to compete in the Winter Olympics. Ruohonen, who works as a lawyer when not curling, subbed into a men's curling game during the 2026 Winter Olympics, breaking a nearly 100-year-old record. Ruohonen has been competing in curling since the fifth grade and has won gold in the 2025 Sioux Falls Olympic Trials as well as the United States Men's Curling Championships in 2008 and 2018.

Why it matters

Ruohonen's participation in the 2026 Winter Olympics at the age of 54 is a remarkable achievement, as he has become the oldest American to compete in the Winter Games in nearly a century. His long and successful curling career, which includes multiple U.S. championship wins, highlights the longevity and dedication required to compete at the highest levels of the sport.

The details

Ruohonen first started playing curling in the fifth grade at the St. Paul Curling Club in Minnesota. He has been competing in curling events since 1981 and has won gold in the 2025 Sioux Falls Olympic Trials, as well as the United States Men's Curling Championships in 2008 and 2018. Ruohonen also has three bronze medals and six silver medals throughout his career.

  • Ruohonen subbed into a men's curling game during the 2026 Winter Olympics on February 11, 2026.
  • Ruohonen first started playing curling in the fifth grade at the St. Paul Curling Club in Minnesota.
  • Ruohonen won gold in the 2025 Sioux Falls Olympic Trials.
  • Ruohonen won the United States Men's Curling Championships in 2008 and 2018.

The players

Rich Ruohonen

A 54-year-old curler from Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, who is the oldest American to compete in the Winter Olympics in nearly 100 years.

Danny Casper

The skip of the curling team that Ruohonen subbed in for during the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“I'm proud to be here, to represent Team USA and to represent our country. But we'd be remiss if we didn't at least mention what's going on in Minnesota and what a tough time it's been for everybody. … What's happening in Minnesota is wrong. There's no shades of gray.”

— Rich Ruohonen

“We're playing for the U.S. We're playing for Team USA. And we're playing for each other, and we're playing for our family and our friends that sacrificed so much to be here today. And that doesn't change anything.”

— Rich Ruohonen

What’s next

Ruohonen and his curling team will continue to compete in the round-robin play of the men's curling tournament at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

The takeaway

Rich Ruohonen's participation in the 2026 Winter Olympics at the age of 54 is a testament to his dedication and longevity in the sport of curling. His outspoken advocacy for issues in his home state of Minnesota also highlights the ways in which Olympians can use their platform to address important social and political matters.