Charlotte Dujardin wins bronze to become most decorated British female Olympian
'I'm overwhelmed with the fact that I have achieved all of that'
Charlotte Dujardin has set a new record of six Olympic medals for a British woman after taking bronze in the individual dressage final at Tokyo Equestrian Park.
While her nine-year reign as Olympic individual dressage champion ended on another night of German domination, a podium finish saw her break the record of five Olympic medals she jointly held with rower Dame Katherine Grainger and tennis player Kitty Godfree.
It was a remarkable performance by 36-year-old Dujardin, especially as her horse Gio was contesting its first major championship.
It adds to her medal count of double gold at London 2012, individual gold and team silver in Rio, and now two bronze medals in Tokyo.
Reflecting on her medal record achievement, Dujardin said: "It’s just so surreal.
"People say it, and I can’t quite believe it. 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.
"I knew I wasn’t going to go down without a fight. I wanted to go out and enjoy it, and he gave me absolutely everything.
"To win medals individually and in the team in the last three Games, I couldn’t be prouder. And to do it with a new dance partner, I couldn’t be prouder.
"I was literally throwing him from one thing to another thing, and he just keeps going. What he has done here is phenomenal."
The gold medal went to Germany’s Jessica von Bredow-Werndl with TSF Dalera on 91.732 per cent, ahead of fellow German and silver medallist Isabell Werth, riding Bella Rose 2, on 89.657 per cent.
Dujardin posted 88.543 per cent after a display that almost defied logic, given how little Gio had done in terms of his career at the sport’s elite level.
It was only the 10-year-old’s second freestyle competition, and Dujardin understandably lavished praise on her latest equine talent.
"If you think, he is 10-years-old doing this. He is going to be a superstar. The minute I clocked eyes on him, I instantly fell in love with him.
"When you’ve had a horse like Valegro (her gold medal winner in London and Rio), it is a steep feat to find another one to do what he has done.
"In my head I knew I could do it again. To have a new horse here after what I’ve done with Valegro is a huge achievement in itself."
Dujardin also won Tokyo team bronze with Carl Hester and Charlotte Fry, with Hester and En Vogue finishing eighth individually, and Fry on Everdale in 13th.
"The music for this freestyle got finished about three days ago, so we really didn’t know what to expect," she said after taking home the bronze.
"I wanted to go out and enjoy it, and he gave me absolutely everything.
"I have always said to myself that when I get to a Games to have no regrets. I finished, and it was the biggest adrenaline rush ever. He didn’t make a mistake.
"It’s as good as (previous Olympics), it is as good as a gold medal. A horse that has such little experience – I feel so emotional."