CHARLOTTE DUJARDIN AND VALEGRO RETAIN DRESSAGE GOLD FOR GREAT BRITAIN WITH BRAZIL-INSPIRED FREESTYLE ROUTINE

Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro retain dressage gold for Great Britain with Brazil-inspired freestyle routine.

British rider Charlotte Dujardin successfully defended her Olympic individual dressage title in Rio de Janeiro on Monday (15 August), scoring 93.857 out of 100 on her horse Valegro.

German horsewomen Isabell Werth (with a score 89.071) and Kristina Broring-Sprehe (87.142) picked up silver and bronze respectively.

In the freestyle competition on Monday, Dujardin and Valegro performed a Brazil-inspired routine that was specially created for Rio 2016, with plenty of samba sounds.

"It is a new freestyle," Dujardin said. "I rode it only the second time. It was just magical. I got really emotional down the last centre line. He always goes in to give me his very best. It felt absolutely effortless."

The 31-year-old rider became only the second British woman in history to win three Olympic gold medals, after cyclist Laura Trott.

At Rio 2016, Dujardin also won team dressage silver as part of the British team, behind Germany.

"It means the absolute world to me to come out here and finish off being individual gold medallist again," Dujardin said after her individual victory.

“In London I had no expectation or pressure but today I felt a huge amount of expectation and pressure."

Dujardin said that her horse Valegro could soon stop performing competitively.

"It could be one of last rides on Valegro. There is talk of retirement for him so for me to finish it in this way, it's a really emotional time and I'm so happy."

“I’ve been riding him since he was five years old. He’s now 14. He’s literally unbeatable and won everything there is to win. I want people to remember him as the most amazing horse that he is."

Dujardin's winning score on Valegro in Rio was only just behind Dujardin's own world record mark of 94.30.

source: Rio2016