Three Latin words make up the Olympic motto: citius, altius, fortius, or faster, higher, stronger. Meet some of the iuvenissimus and maximus—the youngest and oldest—athletes from around the world who will strive for those ideals at the Tokyo Games.
Courtesy of World Table Tennis
Hend Zaza
Syria, table tennis
Age: 12
The fifth-youngest Olympian ever and the youngest in Tokyo, Zaza is the only Syrian player to win national titles in four age groups: hopes, cadets, junior and senior. Zaza, at 12 years old, is also the youngest Olympian since figure skater Beatrice Huu0219tiu, Romania’s flag-bearer for the 1968 Winter Games.