CONGRATULATIONS to Team GB and their stunning achievements in Rio.

Great to see so many athletes win medals, particularly multiple-gold winners Jason Kenny, Laura Trott and Mo Farah.

But wasn’t it wonderful to see equestrian Nick Skelton pick up gold at the age of 58?

Just goes to show you’re never too old to achieve anything in this life.

You often hear people say, I’m too old to do that, my time has passed.

Rubbish.

Skelton is now Great Britain’s oldest ever Olympic champion.

In our culture, youth is worshipped. In our youth obsessed world, smooth skin and fresh faces are valued higher than experience and wisdom.

In the music business singers are past it when they hit 30. Actors - particularly if they’re female - find work drying up when they hit 40.

Radio and TV presenters find themselves on the scrapheap, replaced by someone a decade younger.

In the literary world there are plenty of awards for writers under the ages of 18, 30 and 40.

Yet you never see awards for the best novel written by an author over the age of 50.

Why is that?

Don’t be disheartened, though, if you are sporting a few grey hairs (or have lost a few) and still haven’t achieved your lifetime’s ambition.

Take inspiration from these late-bloomers.

Mary Wesley published her first novel, Jumping the Queue, when she was 70. This lifelong would-be writer finally had a brilliant 20-year publishing career before she died aged 90.

Hobo musician Seasick Steve was 65 when he got his big break appearing on Jools Holland’s New Year Hootenanny in 2006. Previously his worst job had been cleaning a sewage tank. These days, now well into his 70s, Steve packs out shows around the world, including Glastonbury.

Scottish artist Jack Vettriano was 40 when he made his name as a painter. Entirely self-taught and bruised by years of being shunned by the art world, Vettriano finally found his erotic film-noir influenced pictures selling for big money. His Singing Butler is one of the most reproduced images in history.

Actor Bill Nighy was almost 60 when he became a household name in the movie Love Actually. He’d spent so long trying to succeed that when he stopped trying it worked.

So, congratulations again to Nick Skelton for winning his first individual gold after his seventh Olympics. His first Olympics was at Seoul in 1988. He’s not had an easy ride along the way: in 2000 he broke his neck and he also had a hip replaced in 2011.

Let this be the perfect metaphor for you to jump in the saddle, like Nick Skelton, and pursue your heart’s desire.

It’s never too late.