Rio Olympics 2016: Nick Skelton’s tears of joy after becoming Britain’s oldest ever Olympic champion with equestrian gold aged 58
Popular stalwart follows London 2012 team glory by earning Team GB's first individual showjumping medal since 1972
NICK SKELTON wept with joy after winning showjumping gold at the age of 58 and 233 days.
British chiefs confirmed he is Britain’s oldest Olympic champion of all time.
Skelton, who has represented Great Britain for more than 40 years, said: “I was emotional because I am so happy. I’ve had a long, long career and have always wanted this. To do it now is unbelievable.
British veteran Nick Skelton was in the running for an equestrian medal all the way
“I very nearly did it in London. I’ve had European medals, world medals but to win an Olympic title at my age, it’s pretty emotional for everyone in my team.
“My groom, Mark, has been with me for 31 years. This has capped my career. It is just amazing, amazing.”
Skelton, riding Big Star, won a dramatic six-rider jump-off to claim GB’s first showjumping gold and become the oldest winner of an equestrian event.
He was one of six riders to record two clear rounds and advance through to showjumping’s equivalent of a penalty shootout.
Sweden’s Peder Fredricson also went clear but he was 0.53 seconds slower, while Eric Lamaze’s mistake in the final run of the day handed gold to Skelton.
He said: “That jump-off has been the biggest nerves of the Games for me.”
But Skelton, who quit the sport in 2000 after breaking his neck, vowed: “I am not going to stop now.”
Heroic Skelton has gone from breaking his neck in 2000 — and retiring from the sport — to breaking all kinds of records.
The British Olympic Association claim he is Team GB’s oldest champion.
He is certainly the oldest ever of any nationality to win an equestrian event.
And to do it at the seventh attempt — no Brit has represented the nation more — simply added to one of the greatest stories of this or any other Games.
No wonder Skelton’s body is feeling its age. After weeping as he received his gold medal, he revealed: “I have a real problem with back pain. Getting my leg up is painful.
“I’ve got a metal hip, too, so I need help getting my leg up. But it’s nice to be Britain’s oldest medal winner.”
There is a little bit of debate about the age of Joshua Millner when he won the free rifle from 1,000 yards at London in 1908, with the BOA saying he was 58 years and fewer days old than Skelton while there are claims elsewhere he was 61.
Like his rider, Big Star has also been through the wars.
He and Skelton had done very few competitions since being part of Britain’s team jumping gold medal-winning squad in London, and none since 2013, because of the horse’s own back problems.
Skelton added: “It’s been two years to get him back on track again.
“I always knew in the back of my mind, if we could get him right, he could do this.
“He’s an absolutely amazing horse. You can trust him. He wants to do it. He has all the right attributes. He’s the best horse that I’ve ever had.
“I’m so pleased for him. He has worked so hard. This is for him.”
