CIAN O’CONNOR WILL compete in the upcoming Olympic Games in London, the Olympic Council of Ireland have confirmed.
O’Connor takes the place of Denis Lynch who was withdrawn yesterday after his gelding Latinus was disqualified at an event in Germany because of ‘hypersensitivity’.
O’Connor won gold at the Athens Games in 2004 with his mount Waterford Crystal but lost the medal after the horse subsequently tested positive for banned substances.
“The Olympic Council of Ireland has approved Horse Sport Ireland’s nomination of Cian O’Connor as the second Irish show jumping rider for the Olympic Games in London,” a statement from the OCI reads.
“The nomination was made by Horse Sport Ireland’s show jumping Chef D’Equipe Robert Splaine for the combination of Cian O’Connor and his horse Blue Loyd. Ireland will now be represented by Billy Twomey and Cian O’Connor in the individual show jumping event in Greenwich, London, which commences on August 5th.”
Last night Tipperary man, Lynch said the diagnosis was made after cuts and abrasions that the horse received in competition on Wednesday. Lantinus was passed fit to compete in the Nations Cup on Thursday, but tested positive for hypersensitivity on Friday morning and was disqualified from the event.
