Laura Collett won her first individual senior championship medal with an exceptional performance in this afternoon’s Olympic final to secure bronze just hours after helping Britain to historic eventing team gold.
Germany’s Michael Jung was crowned individual champion for a third time, winning Olympic eventing gold with Chipmunk FRH, while Australia’s Chris Burton took individual silver with relatively new ride Shadow Man.
“My friends and family are here so we are planning to have a big party – many parties – these things doesn’t happen often and I plan to celebrate!” said Laura.
“It was perfect weather, picturesque background and the perfect result.”
She added: “The best man won, [Michael] is a genius, who has made everyone of us ride so much better. We still haven’t learned how to beat him but maybe one day we will.”
Laura and London 52 – the sole combination from the gold medal-winning British team in Tokyo – had unfinished business coming into these Games.
Their CV is awash with major wins, records, championship appearances. Laura’s own medal haul includes youth and young horse individual gongs. But there remained a gap, in the shape of an individual senior championship medal – a spot now filled by virtue of her superb horsemanship across all three phases in Paris, with this very special gelding.
The pair set a new Olympic record dressage score of 17.5 on the opening day, followed by a cross-country jumping clear – crossing the line two seconds over the optimum time, which Laura attributed to taking extra care on the turns after London 52 lost a shoe. Their first showjumping round – where they had one rail and 0.8 of a time-penalty – clinched gold for the team, while their clear in the second earned Laura a place on the individual podium.
London 52, who Laura owns with Keith Scott and Karen Bartlett, was flawless in the showjumping round to decide the individual medals. In doing so, Laura becomes the first British woman to reach an individual Olympic eventing podium since Tina Cook in 2008.
Laura’s path to this moment has been tough. Past championships have not always gone fully to plan. She lost the sight in one of her eyes in a fall that almost claimed her life in 2013.
London 52, while always quality, has had to learn how to go across country. It’s been a lifetime’s work for both – together – to reach this moment.
“I just want every child out there to realise that you can never dream too big,” said Laura, 34, after helping Britain to the team title this morning.
In the backdrop of the palace of the Sun King, the sky is the limit…
More to follow…
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Credit: Peter Nixon
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H&H senior news writer
Lucy is an experienced news journalist, reporter and presenter. Since joining the Horse & Hound team in 2015, Lucy has reported from major global sporting events including the Tokyo Paralympic Games and multiple European Championships, as well as Badminton, Burghley and London, to name a few. She has covered current affairs and sports news across the full spectrum of equestrian disciplines and racing, as well as human and equine welfare, industry news and court cases.