East Yorkshire's Lottie Fry takes home first individual medal at 2024 Olympics

The 28-year-old grew up in Aike near Driffield

Author: Anita Chambers, PA Published 5th Aug 2024

Charlotte Fry described winning her first individual Olympic medal in the dressage Grand Prix Freestyle as "crazy".

Fresh from winning bronze in the team event on Saturday, Fry and her stallion Glamourdale achieved a mark of 88.971 per cent to secure another bronze, behind German riders Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and Isabell Werth.

The competition went down to the final rider, with Cathrine Laudrup-Dafour scoring 88.093 per cent to ensure Fry's position on the podium, although she admitted she was unaware of her win until the very last moment.

Fry, who is also known as Lottie, said: "I'm speechless, it's absolutely amazing and I am so proud of Glamourdale. I knew he was capable of it but to be able to pull it off in there today and get the bronze is just incredible.

"The support from the crowd was amazing and the prizegiving was just insane - that feeling of going round with Jessica and Isabell, two idols and huge inspirations in our sport, was just incredible.

"I didn't watch any of them, I knew they were all very good, I kind of didn't want to disappoint myself and I was happy with my ride. We were on way back to the stables and thought we'd better check the scores before we started packing up and suddenly a lot of screaming was going on!

"To get the team bronze yesterday was amazing and I think it was so well deserved and then to get an individual medal is crazy."

Fellow Brits Carl Hester and Becky Moody also competed, finishing sixth and eighth respectively.

Fry's late mother Laura also competed for Britain, riding alongside Hester at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona.

"She's always in my thoughts but especially at an Olympics," said Fry.

"She was also on the team with Carl in '92, so the fact I'm on teams with him now is very special. I think she is with me all the time and I hope she would be proud of me."

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