SM
Arsenal vs. Man United: 1 day 58 mins
Upcoming predictions and previews
Collect News Data

Charlotte Dujardin: 'I will not go down without a fight'

:Headline: Charlotte Dujardin: 'I will not go down without a fight':
British dressage star Charlotte Dujardin dominated at London 2012 and in Rio five years ago, winning two individual golds and a team title.
Sports Mole

Charlotte Dujardin is ready to throw everything at the Tokyo Games as her Olympic journey enters a new phase.

British dressage star Dujardin dominated at London 2012 and in Rio five years ago, winning two individual golds and a team title aboard the mesmeric Valegro.

It was a combination that rewrote the dressage record books for world-best scores, with that triple being among 10 gold medals they collected in Olympic Games, World and European Championships.

After Valegro's post-Rio retirement, Dujardin concentrated on developing an exciting string of young horses led by Mount St John Freestyle and Gio, the 10-year-old gelding she will ride in Tokyo.

As a combination, Dujardin and Gio might have relatively few miles on the clock, but they posted a notable victory behind closed doors at the prestigious Hagen show in Germany last year.

Team success alongside six-time Olympian Carl Hester and Games debutant Charlotte Fry could ultimately offer 36-year-old Dujardin's best hope of a fourth Olympic gold.

If it happens, Dujardin would become only the second female British athlete to achieve that feat after cyclist Laura Kenny, and the competitive fires are burning brightly.

Charlotte Dujardin and her Tokyo Olympics horse Gio (Steve Parsons/PA)

Dujardin told the PA news agency: "He is only 10, so he has done very little – probably six, or seven grands prix, at the most. He has done one grand prix special and one freestyle, so he is very inexperienced.

"But he seems to be coping with it all very, very well. He is definitely a trier, and I know he won't go out there not to try.

"I have had him since he was five. I have trained him and En Vogue (Hester's Tokyo ride), and it is a massive achievement to have both the horses out here.

"Both of them have now flown for the first time, and it's obviously very different, but they have both handled it very well and training is going well.

“I will definitely give it a good go”
- Dressage rider Charlotte Dujardin

"An Olympic Games is always my goal, which is why I have 10 or 11 horses in training, bringing them through the stages, so that I have always got one coming through for the Olympics.

"I have got a really good floor-plan for the freestyle (which decides individual medals), and who knows? On the day, you just don't know.

"I will definitely give it a good go, and I won't go down without a fight."

Britain won team gold in London, then followed it up with silver at Rio, and Dujardin and 54-year-old Hester once again spearhead hopes of a podium hat-trick.

Germany, though, will take some stopping, with their team of Isabell Werth, Jessica Von Bredow-Werndl and Dorothee Schneider currently the world's top three-ranked riders.

Werth, 52, is aiming to become the first rider to win seven Olympic golds, and just the third athlete to win gold at six different Games.

Dujardin added: "Carl has got the experience, and Lottie (Fry), yes it is her first Olympics, but I don't think she gets fazed by anything.

Charlotte Fry will make her Olympic Games debut in Tokyo (Steve Parsons/PA)

"It is always incredible to be at an Olympics, and even though this one is a different one, it just brings home how great the team spirit is that we have.

"You realise how strong a team you have, and anything we need or the horses need, we get it.

"We've got a fantastic set-up in Tokyo, and we just feel very lucky to be here and doing it, really."

Dressage starts at Tokyo's Equestrian Park on Saturday, with team medals decided on Tuesday and the individual freestyle competition taking place 24 hours later.

body check tags ::

amp_article__456540 : Collect and Make Data not in DataBase  : 
last updated article - 2021-07-22 14:03:50:
html db last update - 2021-07-22 14:03:50 :

ex - 7200 : read : write cache and make html

Click here for more stories about Charlotte Dujardin

Share this article now:
T2
Read Next:
Beth Dobbin relishing unexpected opportunity at Olympics
>


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!
Read more about Charlotte Dujardin Carl Hester Valegro Athletics
Follow @SportsMole for the latest breaking news stories, and follow @sm_headlines to get every headline from Sports Mole
Recommended Next on SM
Beth Dobbin relishing unexpected opportunity at Olympics
Liverpool 'yet to make breakthrough' in contract talks with star player
Yoro is back! When could Man United centre-back make his debut?

Page options

Premier League Table
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool1311112681834
2Arsenal1374226141225
3Chelsea1374226141225
4Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton136522217523
5Manchester CityMan City137242219323
6Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest136431613322
7Tottenham HotspurSpurs1362528141420
8Brentford136252623320
9Manchester UnitedMan Utd135441713419
10Fulham135441818019
11Newcastle UnitedNewcastle135441414019
12Aston Villa135441922-319
13Bournemouth135352019118
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham134361724-715
15Everton132561021-1111
16Leicester CityLeicester132471627-1110
17Crystal Palace131661118-79
18Wolverhampton WanderersWolves132382232-109
19Ipswich TownIpswich131661324-119
20Southampton1312101025-155
Scroll for more - Tap for full version


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!

Loading ...

Failed to load data.

history www

All-time PL combined XI: Man Utd vs. Arsenal

1

AP

A fab four: What club record could Arsenal set in Man United game?

NEW

2

AF

Preview: Lazio vs. Napoli - prediction, team news, lineups

NEW

3

PL

Who is Europe's top league scorer in 2024?

4

WI

"They all want to play": Arteta hints at Arsenal injury boosts for Man United?

5

&A

PSG preparing 'bold' swap deal for Chelsea forward Nkunku

6

PP

Man City make decision over Luiz reunion ahead of January?

7

MC

Liverpool handed major boost as Newcastle star is an injury doubt

8

LH

Man United 'sent scouts' to watch in-demand £60m attacker

9

MU

Slot delivers Liverpool injury update, confirms Alisson return date

10

SD


. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .