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Rio will feature first-ever mother-son duo at Olympic Games

Nino Salukvadze and Tsotne Machavariani (AP Photo/Shakh Aivazov)
Nino Salukvadze and Tsotne Machavariani (AP Photo/Shakh Aivazov)

The Olympics has a long history of family achievement, one generation inspiring the next. What's more rare, however, is for parents and children to compete in the same Games. The Rio Olympics will feature an Olympic first: a mother and a son competing together in the same Games.

Nino Salukvadze and her son Tsotne Machavariani will represent the nation of Georgia in the Rio Games' shooting competitions. Salukvadze, 47, is competing in her eighth Games; her son, age 18, is competing in his first.

"I am very happy as the representative of the Georgian shooting federation but a million times happier as a mother that my son managed to do this," Salukvadze told the Associated Press.

With her appearance in Rio, Salukvadze will match the record of canoeist Josefa Idem Guerrini of Italy and Germany with appearances in eight different Games. The all-time record holder is equestrian Ian Millar of Canada, who has appeared in 10 Olympic Games to date. Salukvadze has won a gold, silver, and bronze medal in her competitions, which include the 10m air pistol and 25m sporting pistol events.

"My mother tells me that although she was almost my age when she won her Olympic gold, she represented the Soviet Union at that time and had better training conditions, more experience in tournaments," Machavariani said. "She tells me that we do not have that luxury and she does not demand any results from me. I think this her way to calm me down and minimize my nervousness during the tournament."

According to Olympic historian Bill Mallon, 56 father-and-son duos have competed at the same Games, as well as 12 father-and-daughter and two mother-and-daughter. Such pairings naturally occur in events that have a longer competitive window for athletes, unlike swimming, track and field, or gymnastics.

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Jay Busbee is a writer for Yahoo Sports and the author of EARNHARDT NATION. Contact him at jay.busbee@yahoo.com or find him on Twitter or on Facebook.