Charlotte Dujardin became Great Britain’s most decorated female Olympian by winning the bronze medal in a tense individual dressage event at Tokyo 2020.
Dujardin, 36, faced a nervous wait to see whether Dorothee Schneider would surpass her mark of 88.543% in the final run of the day but the German rider could not deny her a sixth Olympic medal.
Dujardin’s run of successive Olympic titles from 2012 and 2016 came to an end, as Germany’s Jessica von Bredow-Werndl scored 91.732% to beat compatriot Isabell Werth into silver on 89.657%.
But her haul of three gold medals, one silver and two bronze moves her clear of the five medals won by rower Katherine Grainger and tennis player Kathleen McKane Godfree.
“It is mind blowing,” Dujardin told BBC Sport. “To think I have achieved all of that. It’s just so surreal.”Being level with Katherine Grainger was good enough, and now I have beaten her. It’s incredible, and I can honestly say I am proud of myself.”
Germans denied clean sweep
Gold medallist Von Bredow-Werndl executed a masterful display on her Olympic debut, guiding her horse TSF Dalera meticulously to the soundtrack of hit 2016 film ‘La La Land’.
In taking silver, Werth secured her 12th Olympic medal – extending her record as the sport’s most decorated competitor – and Von Bredow-Werndl was visibly emotional at beating her compatriot into second.
And had Schneider overtaken Dujardin to deny the Briton her record-breaking medal she would have secured an all-German podium in the event for the first time since 1992.
Further down the field, Team GB’s Carl Hester – himself a three-time Olympic medallist in the team event – placed eighth aboard En Vogue, while Olympic debutant Charlotte Fry was 13th on Everdale.
Dujardin eyes more history
Dujardin’s success at previous Games had come aboard the now-retired Valegro, a horse immortalised with a statue in Dujardin’s hometown of Newent in Gloucestershire.
Her new mount – named Gio but nicknamed Pumpkin after arriving in her stable around Halloween – stood up admirably to the challenging Tokyo heat and the pressure of an Olympic event.
“As you can see I have a new dancing partner in Gio and my little pocket rocket has a heart of gold,” Dujardin said.
“He gave everything and I am so overwhelmed. I was literally throwing him from one thing to another thing, and he just keeps going. What he has done here is phenomenal.”
Dujardin’s mark of six medals could still be challenged by cyclist Laura Kenny at Tokyo 2020.
But given team-mate Hester – who has helped mentor her to success in the sport – is still competing at the age of 54, Dujardin seemingly still has time to add to her own historic medal tally.
Looking at her bronze medal, she told BBC Sport she would be able to help her young horse develop by Paris 2024, adding: “There is so much more to come. I know this will not be this colour but another colour.”
