Other Sports: Olympics-‘Mankini’ Australian horseman Rose wins race to be fit for Paris

SYDNEY (Reuters) – Three-times Olympic medallist Shane Rose has successfully battled back from a series of injuries suffered in a heavy fall in March and was named in Australia’s equestrian team for the Paris Games on Thursday.

The 51-year-old team eventer had already qualified for his fourth Olympics when he fell from his horse during a cross-country session and sustained a broken femur, pelvis, elbow and some broken ribs.

“For me, it has been a rough and rocky road to get to this point. It is a huge relief to gain selection,” Rose said in a team news release.

“Our eventing team is strong and … if we all perform at our best, we have a great chance of standing on that podium.

“I look forward to the challenge and hope to make everyone who has supported me on this journey proud. So many people have contributed to having me 100% fit and ready to perform.”

Rose, who made waves by wearing a “mankini” at a show-jumping event in February, has twice qualified for the Olympics but been unable to compete.

In 1996, his horse went lame on arrival in the United States for the Atlanta Olympics, and in 2012 his mount All Luck suffered a shoulder injury which prevented him from competing at the London Games.

Rose has also battled his way back from several serious injuries to himself over his career, including a kick to the face from a horse in 2006 that left him in a medically-induced coma for a week.

Despite his past misfortune, Rose won team silver medals at the 2008 Beijing Games and the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, as well as a bronze at Rio 2016.

On his mount Virgil, Rose will team up with Chris Burton and Kevin McNab in the eventing competition at Versaille from July 27 to 29 looking to add to Australia’s tally of 14 Olympic medals, which includes six golds.

The nine-strong equestrian team also includes Edwina Tops-Alexander, who will be competing at her fifth Games and leads an all-female showjumping team with rookies Hilary Scott and Thaisa Erwin.

(Reporting by Nick Mulvenney, editing by Peter Rutherford)