Charlotte Dujardin becomes Team GB's most decorated female Olympian
28 July 2021, 15:26
Charlotte Dujardin has become the most decorated British female Olympian after winning her sixth medal at Tokyo 2020.
The 36-year-old previously held the record of five Olympic medals jointly with rower Dame Katherine Grainger and tennis player Kitty Godfree.
However, after taking bronze in the individual dressage final at Tokyo Equestrian Park, the former Olympic champion claimed the honour for herself.
She won double gold at London 2012, then individual gold and team silver in Rio, before collecting two bronze medals in Tokyo.
Her nine-year reign as Olympic individual dressage champion came to an end when Germany's Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and Isabell Werth swooped in to take the gold and silver positions for their performances.
Meanwhile, Dujardin posted 88.543 per cent with her horse, Gio, who was contesting his first major championship.
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"It's just so surreal. People say it, and I can't quite believe it," Dujardin said.
"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."
Dujardin's success also came as 21-year-old Tom Dean became the first British man in 113 years to win two swimming golds at the same Olympics.
