GREAT Britain’s Olympic silver medal-winning eventing team could all conceivably be in contention to go for gold in 2016.
Mary King, the oldest team member at 51, has already stated her intention to aim for a remarkable seventh successive Olympics appearance in Rio de Janeiro.
And given the consistent national and international form of her four team-mates at Greenwich Park – Sturminster Newton’s William Fox-Pitt, Tina Cook, Zara Phillips and Nicola Wilson – an Olympic reunion cannot be ruled out.
“I hope to be in Rio. I have no visions of stopping yet,” King said.
“I love the sport. I am fit and healthy, though getting old, and I love it. You’ve got (New Zealander) Mark Todd even older than me and still loving the sport.
“My daughter Emily is keen to ride in my footsteps, and her dream is for us to ride in the team together. She may be a bit young for Rio.”
Britain had to settle for silver behind London 2012 favourites Germany, whose star rider Michael Jung also won individual gold.
It might have been even better for Britain had the Queen’s granddaughter Phillips, in her own words, not “messed up” and had seven showjumping penalties aboard High Kingdom. In the end, Great Britain finished 4.5 behind winners Germany.
But it would be extremely harsh to point fingers at the 31-year-old, who received a first Olympic medal from her mother the Princess Royal and was also watched by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince Harry and the Duchess of Cornwall.
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