Laura Bechtolsheimer

Sport: Equestrian

Nation: Great Britain

DOB: January 31, 1985

Hometown: Ampney St Peter

Career Highlights: The British Dressage number one, Laura Bechtolsheimer will fancy her chances of medalling at London in what is just her second Olympic Games. Born into a family with a strong history of equestrianism, she is the granddaughter of the billionaire founder of high-street store Massa and daughter of British rider Wilfried and renowned trainer Ursula Bechtolsheimer. She picked up her first championship medal at the Pony European Championship at the age of just 13 and became the youngest British Dressage champion in 2005, aged just 20. The 2008 Beijing Games proved a relative disappointment as she could only make sixth in the team event, but her improving performances that year didn’t go unnoticed and she was named British Dressage Ride of the Year. Team silver and individual bronze at the 2009 European Championships were followed by a trio of silvers at the 2010 World Championships in Kentucky - team, individual and freestyle. Team gold and individual at the 2011 Euros cemented her status as one of the world’s top three in Dressage, but the winner of the last three Olympic Individual Dressage gold medals, Anky van Grusven, will be a formidable opponent.

Olympic History: 2008