Nick Skelton’s superb display on the 13-year-old stallion Big Star was a tale of triumph over adversity.
He fought back from serious injury after suffering a broken neck 16 years ago, persistent chronic back pain and undergoing a hip replacement.
Despite all of that he went on to become the oldest British Olympic champion, at 58 years and 233 days, with a dramatic win in individual showjumping.
Skelton in numbers...
- 41 - years since Skelton’s first major competition win, at the 1975 junior world champs
- 42.82 - seconds Skelton’s winning time
- 72 - Swedish shooter Oscar Swahn won silver in 1920 aged 72 years & 281 days – oldest male Olympic medallist
- 2 - gold medals and one silver for Britain’s equestrian team
Skelton, who had jumped two clear rounds earlier in the day to be among six combinations that raced against the clock, posted a winning time of 42.82 seconds.
Competing in his seventh Games, Skelton won by more than half a second from silver medallist Peder Fredricson of Sweden.