• London 2012 - Equestrian

GB reach medal No. 50 as Dujardin claims dressage gold

Charlotte Dujardin produced a great ride under pressure © PA Photos

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Charlotte Dujardin claimed Britain's second dressage gold medal at London 2012 after a stunning ride in the individual competition, with Laura Bechtolsheimer winning bronze to take GB's medal haul to a half century.

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Roared on by a 23,000-strong crowd at Greenwich Park, Dujardin, the last rider to go, posted a score of 90.089 aboard Valegro to beat Dutch star Adelinde Cornelissen's total of 88.196 for gold.

A rookie a year ago, Dujardin becomes only the fourth British athlete to win double gold at one Games after adding individual glory to the team dressage triumph she was involved in earlier in the week.

Cornelissen finished second and Bechtolsheimer scooped a bronze medal (84.339%) to ensure Britain leaves London 2012 with three dressage medals - an unprecedented tally.

"I didn't really get nervous, it was my last performance and I just wanted to go out there and perform," Dujardin said. "We get to choose what we want to ride to but we have to check that it suits the horses, sometimes if it's too basey it can upset the horses so we have to make sure they are happy with it.

"I am very lucky to have my family's support. Financially it was hard for us to do it but after my mum's mum died we got a horse and it all started then."

Carl Hester, who finished in fifth place after recording a score of 82.857% aboard Uthopia, said: "It's been an emotional and long year for us to keep the horses going. Without the horse, we're nothing. To keep two horses in this peak, to finish the top five at the Olympics is very hard and takes a lot of management.

"Every morning you walk out into the yard and think please, please, they'll be alright. We've had so much back-up. Thank goodness for the world-class team behind us and the lottery that helped us keep this thing going. We treat them as super athletes and I think they've repaid everybody with what they've done.

"I always said that she was the gold medallist. He is the best horse in the world. Uthopia doesn't quite have the energy for the last day; Valegro is just the consummate professional."

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