Frenchman Charles Coste, a 1948 Olympic track cycling gold medalist and the oldest living Olympic champion, has died at age 101.
Coste was the penultimate torchbearer at the 2024 Paris Olympic Opening Ceremony, passing the Olympic Flame from his wheelchair to fellow French gold medalists judoka Teddy Riner and sprinter Marie-José Pérec, who lit the cauldron.
“The image of him passing the Olympic flame to Teddy Riner and Marie-José Pérec in the rain of Paris during the Opening Ceremony of Paris 2024 went around the world,” IOC President Kirsty Coventry said in a statement. “He will be remembered forever. Our thoughts are with his family at this difficult time.”
Coste won gold at the 1948 London Games as part of France’s team pursuit on the track. He also raced on the roads, including at the Tour de France in 1952 and 1957.
The oldest living Olympic gold medalist is now believed to be Nikita Simonyan, a soccer player for the Soviet Union at the 1956 Melbourne Games, according to Paul Tchir of a group of Olympic historians known as the OlyMADMen. Simonyan turned 99 years old on Oct. 12.
Charles Coste nous a quittés, j’ai eu l’immense honneur qu’il me transmette la flamme olympique lors des Jeux de Paris 2024.
— Teddy Riner (@teddyriner) November 2, 2025
Ce moment symbolisait la passion et la transmission qui l’animaient.
Charles Coste représentait l’engagement, le respect et l’amour du sport sous toutes… pic.twitter.com/L5g8pNnvhj
