Tokyo 2020 - Charlotte Dujardin becomes Britain's outright most decorated female Olympian

ByRichard Newman

Updated 28/07/2021 at 15:10 GMT

The three-time Olympic champion claimed bronze in the individual Grand Prix freestyle, taking her above rower Katherine Grainger with six medals in total. It was a remarkable performance from Dujardin, who was competing on board her new horse, Gio, following the retirement of Valegro. You want it? We have it. Stream every Olympic event live on discovery+.

Charlotte Dujardin has become Britain's outright most decorated female Olympian by claiming bronze in equestrian's individual Grand Prix freestyle at Tokyo 2020, the sixth equestrian medal of her Games career.

The 36-year-old triple Olympic champion followed up team bronze with another third-placed finished on board her new horse Gio, following the retirement of her trusty Valegro after Rio 2016.

The medal takes her above rower Katherine Grainger and tennis player Kathleen McKane Godfree, who she was level with on five medals going into today's event.

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Dujardin finished below Germans Jessica von Bredow-Werndl, who claimed gold, and veteran Isabell Werth, the seven-time Olympic champion.

'Spectacular!' - Team GB claim dressage bronze as Dujardin wins fifth Olympic medal

54-year-old Carl Hester, a London 2012 gold medallist who first competed at the Olympics at Barcelona 1992, finished eighth, while Charlotte Fry, whose late mother Laura Fry competed with Hester at those Games 29 years ago, finished 13th.

Dujardin already goes down as one of Team GB's greatest ever Olympians, though, having first won double gold in London before following that up with gold and silver in Rio. She has now brought home at least two medals from every Games she has competed at and likely has plenty more opportunities to get on top of the podium.

"It might be bronze but to me it’s like a gold medal and more," she told Eurosport.

I’m a bit speechless. Coming here with such an inexperienced horse, I didn’t really know how it was going to go. That’s the first time I’ve ever ridden my freestyle, it only got finished three days ago, whilst I’ve been here.

Dujardin nails routine to win history-making bronze for Britain

"Pumpkin’s [the horse's nickname] only done one music Grand Prix, so I just thought I’m going to go out there, I’m not going to go down without a fight and I’m just going to enjoy it - and I really did. I came out and I was literally buzzing, it was just so much fun. Pumpkin gave everything, I couldn’t have asked more from him."

Dujardin will now need to decide whether to continue with Gio, or go back to Mount St. John Freestyle, the horse she initially tried to build a working relationship with following Valegro's retirement.

• Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games: Schedule, key events, every medal and more
• Team GB take dressage bronze as Dujardin wins fifth Olympic medal

'I'm actually speechless!' - Dujardin overwhelmed with history-making bronze

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