Team GB are currently resting in second position in the Olympic medals tables, with a total of 41 medals and 16 golds. This year, our team is made up of more women than ever before; the 164 women make up almost 45 per cent of the whole team. It’s strange but true, however, that apart from the mixed tennis doubles, the equestrian events are the only time you will see men and women on the same winners’ podium at the Olympics.
Last Wednesday the medal ceremony for the team eventing competition took place. On that podium were the French team, made up of four men, the German team, made up of three women and one man, and the Australian team, made up of four men. Yesterday, Team GB’s Charlotte Dujardin won another Olympic gold in the individual dressage, with the team of two men and two women having won silver in the team competition on Friday.
People will argue that the reason men and women can compete on a level playing field in equestrian events is because ‘the horse does all the work’ – but that’s simply not true.
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