Great Britain is having a dream run in the Paris Olympics so far. After finishing at the top in artistic gymnastics, toppling Team USA, the British fans are once again cheering. This time, the occasion being a 24-year-old record-breaking performance. Competing in the Equestrian dressage event, Laura Collett established a new Olympic record for the lowest penalties. 

Collett, who was riding with her London 52, finished with 17.5 penalties, which is considered to be a one-of-a-kind score. The previous record was 19.3 penalties that remained since 2000 when the United States created history. Back in 2000, it was David O’Connor, who set a new Olympic record with Custom Made. For the uninitiated, the dressage scoring consists of judges giving a number that is converted into a percentage of the highest score possible. This amount is further subtracted from 100 to award the competitor with their penalty score. 

Unfortunately, while Great Britain finished at the top with 66.70 penalties, Team USA lacked the expected penetration. They finished sixth with 88.90 penalties, behind New Zealand and Japan at fourth and fifth respectively. Germany came in second to Great Britain with 74.10 penalties, while France rounded off the top 3, finishing third with 81.20 penalties. 

For Great Britain, Laura Collett undoubtedly had the cream of the event. However, impressive performances from Rosalind Canter and Tom McEwen with 23.40 and 25.80 penalties respectively, ensured Great Britain’s dominance remained unfazed. Meanwhile, coming back to Laura Collett, the 34-year-old’s journey to the Olympics is nothing short of a miracle. 

From deathbed to the glitz of Paris: Laura Collett’s journey back to life

At 23, Laura Collett was dreaming of achieving great things in life. And experiencing the vibe of an Olympic stadium with her London 52 was at the top of the list. But come July 2013, Collett was hit with an invisible Thanos-snap that blipped major chunks of her elite career from her life. Competing at the Tweseldown Horse Trials, Collett suffered a near-fatal fall. 

The impact of the fall was such that the equestrian had to be resuscitated on five occasions. Add to that her long list of injuries- damaged kidneys, a lacerated liver, a fractured shoulder, a couple of broken ribs, and a punctured lung. Collett’s condition was so severe that she had to undergo an induced coma for six long days. However, despite Collett showing signs of recovery, her right eyesight was almost gone. 

At this point, nobody thought Collett would succeed in surviving, let alone continue her elite equestrian career. But these perceptions about her just added to the burning zeal of Laura Collett to come back even stronger. And after just a couple of weeks of getting back from the hospital, Collett was happily mounting her horse, ready to go for a ride. She continued to tread steadily towards her dreams and come Paris 2024, it all seemed to have come full circle. With already an Olympic record under her belt, Laura Collett is looking for the frontrunner to clinch gold in what will be a fitting conclusion to her epic story.