Charlotte Dujardin is one of Britain’s most decorated female Olympians of all time. She has built a formidable legacy in dressage - and is far from finished, with sights still set on Paris 2024.
Most British decorated female Olympian
Charlotte Dujardin is most decorated British female Olympian, having won six medals across three games in Equestrian dressage.
Where was Charlotte Dujardin born?
Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire
Charlotte Dujardin Olympic medals
Charlotte has won Gold x3, silver x1, bronze x2 across London 2012, Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020.
How Charlotte Dujardin became an Olympic hero
Charlotte Dujardin first sat on a horse aged two and her competitive instincts were fostered by Carl Hester, who offered mentoring, coaching and horses to ride - including Valegro.
The pair struck up their competitive partnership in 2011 and broke the dressage Grand Prix world record four months before London 2012.
Charlotte Dujardin horses
Coming into a home Games as favourites, Charlotte and her horse Valegro dealt with the pressure and delivered Olympic gold in the individual and team events.
Charlotte and her first horse Valegro went on to retain their individual crown four years later at Rio 2016, the first British woman in any sport to successfully defend an Olympic title in an individual event .
With Valegro retiring, Dujardin campaigned a second horse Gio through to Tokyo 2020 that yielded two bronze medals - briefly making her our most successful female Olympian, before Laura Kenny won Madison gold.
The inspiration
Charlotte Fry was among the adoring public who watched Dujardin dance to the tune of ‘Land of Hope and Glory’ and take gold in London.
She explained: “To think that back in 2012 I was 15 or 16, sat in front of the TV watching Charlotte Dujardin win the gold and the team win the gold. They were all massive inspirations to me.
“To be able, a few years later, to be on the team with them, I can learn so much from them because they are all so experienced. I think that has really helped to bring everything together.
“We always have such great team spirit. Everyone is really supportive and it’s nice to have teammates who have done it all before and they are also the best in the world.”
Fry was crowned world individual champion last year with Glamourdale and was part of the bronze medal-winning British team in Tokyo.
As well as inspiring the next generation of British riders, Dujardin has had a global impact as the dominant dressage rider of her era.
Swedish equestrian Patrick Kittel said: “When I watch Charlotte ride I get really jealous — she has the most amazing position in the saddle.
“You watch her ride at lower levels, like elementary, and her horses already look like potential grand prix horses; it’s very impressive to see that.”
What’s next for Charlotte Dujardin?
Dujardin’s place in history is assured but she is also far from finished in the sphere of competitive sport.
Last month, she became a mother for the first time and bringing Isabella into the world has changed her outlook entirely.
“As an athlete, you have to be quite selfish and give up a lot of things and make all the sacrifices to make dreams come true,” she said.
“A lot of people thought I was going to get married and have kids after 2012, and then after Rio, but I never felt like that was the time. I was on such a roll that I wanted to keep going.
“It wasn’t until last year that I felt ready to start a family - I felt ready as an athlete and in myself.
“What’s going to be so lovely now is that I have my daughter to be a part of it. I’m very passionate and competitive and strong-minded but being pregnant, it changes your outlook on everything.
“It’s made me realise that what I do is a game and a sport. I’m very lucky to have done what I’ve done but having a baby is real life, that’s made me appreciate what’s real and the fact that I can go back to my sport at any time.”
Dujardin hopes to return to competition at the 2023 European Championships with a view to competing at her fourth Olympics in Paris.
“It’s hard to say how (coming back) will go but I have Paris in mind and we’ve got the European Championships as well this year,” she said.
“I don’t want to rush things and lose any memorable moments with my daughter but that will be in the back of my mind, to get myself fit and ready again for the Europeans later on this year.
“No matter what happens now, I can say I’ve done it. I’ve got the world records and the gold medals - I feel like I’ve achieved everything I want to, but I’m still hungry to go and do it again.”
Sportsbeat 2023