50-year-old to compete at European Champs

Ottey, a naturalised Slovenian of Jamaican origin, would make her Barcelona debut in the July 31 heats.

Ottey has won 29 medals at major competitions, including seven Olympic Games starting with Moscow in 1980.

Ottey, who first raced for Slovenia in the championships four years ago, has already clocked 11.84 seconds over 100 metres this season. She was second in the Slovenian championships.

French marathon runner Nicole Brakebusch-Leveque is the oldest athlete to compete in the European games, so far, at the age of 47.