Guo represented China at the 1936 Games in Berlin, Germany,  where he produced a personal best of 41.13 metres, although his effort was not quite enough to make the final.

He had set a national record of 41.07m the previous year and continued to compete in athletics following his solitary Olympic Games appearance.

As well as competing at the Games, he ran with the Olympic Torch during the lead-up to Beijing 2008 through the Xi’an region.

Guo studied agricultural science and technology at university in Japan alongside his sporting career and went into this field, working in Peking and Xi'an, following his retirement from athletics.

In 1950, he opted to make a return to the sporting world as a researcher and coach at the Xi'an Institute of Physical Education before his retirement in 1987.

“Guo's death is a great loss to our physical education and scientific research,” a statement from the Institute read.

Guo then went on to write a book about the role of aerobic exercise in preventing cardiovascular disease during his retirement years, where he also organised a survey of old people in Xi’an who usually did morning exercises.

“The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) is saddened to hear that Guo Jie died on Sunday at the age of 103,” an IAAF statement said.

"Guo competed in several sports during his youth, bit it was the discus in which he excelled.

“He had been the oldest surviving Olympian.”

Guo’s funeral was held on Tuesday (November 17) in in Xi'an, the capital city of northwestern China's Shaanxi Province.



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