Princess Kate and Prince William have offered their “huge congratulations” to the athletes who won the first gold medals for Team GB, following Zara Tindall’s Olympic snub.
Ros Canter, Laura Collett and Tom McEwen landed Great Britain’s first gold medal of the Paris 2024 Games in the Equestrian Eventing Team final.
The royal couple paid tribute to the team, as well as Tom Piddock who snapped up the first place spot in the men’s cross-country mountain biking, in a post online.
Kensington Royal said: “Huge congratulations to the Equestrian Eventing Team and Tom Pidcock in the mountain biking on winning Team GB’s first gold medals! Here’s to more success ahead!”
Princess Kate and Prince William have congratulated the Olympic equestrian team after Zara Tindall was left off the squadGettyAbsent from the Equestrian Eventing Team this time round is Tindall, who won a silver medal for the sport back at the 2012 London Olympics.
Princess Anne’s daughter's dreams of returning to the Olympics were dashed in a major career setback, after it was announced that she would not be on the equestrian squad this year.
The royal was planning to gain a spot in the 2024 team, according to her husband Mike who confirmed she was training for the coveted role in 2022.
Reporter Matthew Benns, who interviewed Mike, wrote: "Tindall is back in training and working on having the right horse for a run at the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
ROYAL LATEST:
Huge congratulations to the Equestrian Eventing Team and Tom Pidcock in the mountain biking on winning @TeamGB’s first gold medals! Here’s to more success ahead! 🇬🇧✨🥇 https://t.co/1nsS39imrX
— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) July 29, 2024
"She has fewer horses than in 2012 and now has to fit her training in around a busy schedule as a mother-of-three. She says having horses in stables at home makes things easier.
"Her round at Gatcombe gave both her and the horse a 'good education’.”
However, this sadly wasn’t to be a reality after the Eventing Team lineup was announced, with Rosalind Canter, Laura Collett, Tom McEwen, and Yasmin Ingham also representing Team GB.
This is the fifth time that the royal has been left off the squad - in 2004 and 2008, she could not participate due to injuries to her horse. Similarly, in 2016, she could not compete due to her horse’s fitness, however this time was even more heartbreaking, as she had originally qualified for the team.
Zara Tindall had anticipated a spot to represent Team GB in the 2024 OlympicsPA
Zara Tindall was hoping to join the 2024 team
PA
Zara Tindall won a silver medal at the London 2012 OlympicsGettyFive years later, Zara gave birth to her third child, Lucas Tindall, so was unable to compete in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics which took place in 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
As the Team GB athletes received their medals, God Saved the King was played.
It is the first time the new national anthem has been played at the Olympics since 1948.
