Austin O’Connor galloped up the leaderboard to finish 13th with Colorado Blue at the Individual Eventing final in Baji Koen Equestrian Park tonight.

In 20th spot as the final round began, the man from Mallow produced his second four-fault ride of the night and then sat back to watch many of the sports biggest stars crash-and-burn in the closing stages.

“He’s a class horse and it’s his first Championship actually so it’s quite a big deal and I think he’s very exciting for the future. It was quite a big course and the time was very tight, again I think we were unlucky to have that rail. It was almost a speed class and you may as well go out and go out fighting!” O’Connor said after battling with the best.

Germany’s Julia Krajewski made history when becoming the first female Olympic champion.

Holding the lead going into the final round she steered her young mare, the 11-year-old Amande De B’Neville, to another classic clear round.

Britain’s Tom McEwen (30) took silver with Toledo de Kresker and the oldest competitor in the competition, 62-year-old Aussie Andrew Hoy who had already taken team silver earlier in the evening, claimed the bronze with Vassily de Lassos.