Team GB secure their first gold at Paris 2024 Olympics as equestrian team beat hosts France to eventing title… as they defend Olympic crown for first time since 1972
Team GB claimed their first gold medal at the Paris 2024 Games as Ros Canter, Tom McEwen and Laura Collett were crowned team eventing champions at the Palace of Versailles.
The eventing team entered the show jumping final on Monday with a small lead over number two, France.
Team GB had scored well in both the dressage and cross-country and topped the rankings with 82.5 points, followed by France with 87.2.
The lead could have been bigger had organizers not disqualified him from the cross-country race after Canter was controversially penalized for touching a flag while passing a gate.
Canter was the first to start the jumping part of the event. He only received four penalty points in the round on Lordships Graffalo.
Laura Collett led the celebrations after her jumping round secured Team GB’s first gold in Paris
Rosalind Canter was the first member of the team to take on the show jumping course
McEwen then brought Team GB to the brink of gold by producing a clean round against JL Dublin
It was up to Collett, riding London 52, to complete the job as the final competitor in the event.
Collet received four penalties for her lap, but her lap was enough to secure the team title.
The victory lifted a dark cloud that had hung over British equestrian sport since the Charlotte Dujardin horse scandal broke last Tuesday, as the British team defended their Olympic team title in eventing for the first time since 1972.
Host country France won silver, while Japan completed the podium with bronze.
Team GB finished with a winning score of 91.30, well ahead of France, who finished in second place with 103.60.
Collett celebrated the British celebrations after completing her round, but her hopes for the individual event were dented when she hit the final hurdle.
She dropped to third place in the individual rankings with a total of 23.10 penalty points across the three disciplines.
Germany’s Michael Jung, two-time individual Olympic champion, leads with 21.80, followed by Australia’s Christopher Burton in second place with 22.40.
McEwen is also in contention for medals, with the British star finishing fourth, while Canter also qualified for the individual final.