Zara finally makes Britain’s Olympic team
Former the world together with European champion eventer Zara Phillips volition finally larn to follow inwards the footsteps of her parents, Anne, the Princess Royal, together with Captain Mark Phillips, together with accept her house at an Olympic Games.
» Update: Nicola Wilson replaces Piggy French
Phillips, 31, has been selected equally purpose of a five-strong squad formally nominated on Mon yesteryear the British Equestrian Federation. The nominations must straight off move reviewed together with ratified yesteryear the British Olympic Association (BOA) earlier the athletes are selected for Team GB.
“It’s awesome to move given this opportunity,” Phillips said. “I’m actually excited together with can’t hold back to boot on together with larn him in that location – hopefully nosotros volition arrive this fourth dimension after yous know what happened in conclusion …” she said, referring to 2008, when her horse, Toytown, was ruled out because of lameness.
She volition ride High Kingdom, on whom she was third at Bramham at the weekend. He is owned yesteryear i of Phillips’s long-time supporters, Trevor Hemmings, who has owned many of her rides. “I couldn’t practise it without him,” Phillips said.
“High Kingdom is a pretty cool, rattling relaxed sort of guy, I was actually happy with him at Bramham equally he’d apparently grown upwardly together with is improving all the time. He’s pretty pony like, a nippy picayune jumper together with slowly to manoeuvre hence hopefully it volition suit him good inwards Greenwich.”
Her mother, Anne, the Princess Royal, competed at the 1976 Montreal Olympics, together with her father, Captain Mark Phillips, won squad gilt for U.K. at Munich inwards 1972, together with squad silverish at Seoul inwards 1988.
The nominated athletes are:
- Kristina Cook – (41) from Worthing, West Sussex riding Miners Frolic, owned yesteryear Mrs Sarah Pelham, Mr Nicholas & Mrs Valda Embiricos
- William Fox-Pitt (43) from Sturminster Newton, Dorset riding Lionheart, owned yesteryear Mr Jeremy & Mrs Judith Skinner
- Georgina [Piggy] French (31) from Lubenham, Leicestershire riding Jakata owned yesteryear Mr Wally French & Mr Michael Underwood or DHI Topper W, owned yesteryear Mr Wally French & Mr Michael Underwood
- Mary King (51) from Sidmouth, Devon riding Imperial Cavalier, owned yesteryear Mrs Janette Chinn together with Mr Edwin & Mrs Sue Davies
- Zara Phillips (31) from Stroud, Gloucestershire riding High Kingdom, owned yesteryear Gleadhill House Stud Ltd
Between the v selected riders the eventing squad contains a wealth of experience; this volition move Mary King’s 6th Olympic Games; William Fox-Pitt’s 4th together with Kristina Cook’s second. Although Zara Phillips together with Piggy French volition brand their Olympic debuts inwards London 2012, they are also no strangers to entitle telephone telephone ups for their country.
A formal proclamation of the eventing squad is expected afterward this week. Reserve horses together with riders volition move named inwards due course.
Cook, Fox-Pitt together with King were all members of the British eventing squad that won squad bronze at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, where Cook also scooped the private bronze on Miner’s Frolic. The same trio were together with then purpose of the squad that won gilt at the 2010 World Championships, where Fox-Pitt took an private silverish medal.
Phillips was crowned private World Champion inwards 2006 but missed out on her Olympic dream inwards 2008 when her Equus caballus Toytown suffered an injury earlier competition. She is straight off dorsum at the overstep of the sport with High Kingdom, a Equus caballus that she has brought upwardly the ranks from novice level.
Georgina “Piggy” French won private silverish at the 2009 European Championships together with was also purpose of the 2011 European Championship squad that won bronze with squad mates Fox-Pitt together with King. French also won the Olympic Test upshot inwards Greenwich inwards 2011.
Equestrian Team Leader Will Connell said it had been a challenging outflow for the riders, with several events cancelled.
“Great credit is due to all the riders who postulate keep had to reverberate this inwards their plans. It has also been a challenging fourth dimension for selectors. The squad nosotros postulate keep straight off nominated to the BOA is crammed total of athletes that postulate keep proven medal winning might at European, World together with Olympic level. I offering my congratulations to them, their back upwardly teams together with their horse’s owners together with aspect forwards to working with them during the terminal force to the London Olympics.”
Eventing Performance Manager Yogi Breisner said he was looking forwards to working with the squad together with putting together terminal plans for Greenwich.
Cook was thrilled to move selected on Miner’s Frolic after the Equus caballus had fought dorsum from well-nigh dying of colitis 12 months ago.
“After the horse’s affliction in conclusion yr this is a dream come upwardly true. With his yesteryear shape Miner’s Frolic has proved he tin practise it. To come upwardly dorsum to this degree shows he’s a existent fighter – that’s what pulled him through. He’s gone actually good this flavor hence I’m rattling excited to larn the chance to accept him to London.
“I’ve had him since he was 4 years old, he’s sort together with talented together with nosotros postulate keep a swell partnership. Greenwich volition move challenging but he’s a good bred horse, fast cross solid soil but adjustable together with polite which is of import for those hills!” she said.
William Fox-Pitt, who won the ii primary classes at Bramham at the weekend, said he was honoured and privileged to move selected for the team. “It’s especially exciting equally its London together with I can’t hold back for the Games to larn started together with experience the London Olympics. It’s rattling exciting to move purpose of such a rigid squad together with I’m especially delighted for my long-time owners Judy together with Jeremy Skinner.
“Lionheart is a phenomenal Equus caballus together with an incredible athlete with a swell temperament together with he’ll move able to contend with Greenwich perfectly. I’m actually looking forwards to riding there; he’s solely a x yr former but a rattling generous together with talented horse. In my sentiment he’s made for Greenwich.”
Piggy French has the luxury of having ii horses to pick out from inwards Jakata together with DHI Topper W. “Obviously I am confident that ‘Topper’ volition contend with the going in that location because of our experience at the examination upshot but they are both amazing horses with dissimilar strengths. We volition brand a determination nearer the fourth dimension based on who is feeling on the best shape nearer the Games.”
“I postulate keep to order a massive give thank yous you to my owners for their support; I wouldn’t postulate keep got to this phase without them. I am overly excited together with rattling relieved. It is what my squad together with I postulate keep been working towards over the in conclusion few years hence it’s fantabulous to move getting this far; nosotros only postulate keep to promise together with pray that they rest inwards i slice to larn there,” French said.
It volition move Mary King’s 6th Olympic games, together with she is hoping that London volition aid her to consummate her fix of all 3 colours of medals.
“I am hence pleased that ‘Archie’ volition larn the run a hazard to compete at an Olympic Games, he hence deserves this chance together with I am certain he volition rising to the occasion. He is a big, powerful Equus caballus which agency he should move able to contend good with the undulations together with move rigid plenty to handgrip galloping upwardly together with downward those hills.”
Belum ada Komentar untuk "Zara finally makes Britain’s Olympic team"
Posting Komentar