Oliver Fletcher beats three Olympic champions at Longines Global Champions Tour

By Megan Armitage

Just two weeks after watching Paris 2024 from the comfort of his own home, Oliver Fletcher beat three Olympic champions in one day.

The 21-year-old from Faringdon roared to 5* two phase victory on Cajus 42 at the London leg of the 2024 Longines Global Champions Tour.

Clocking a time of 28.82 seconds and zero faults, the young rider beat recently crowned Olympic champions Harry Charles, Scott Brash and Christian Kukuk to victory in the first 5* event of the weekend in front of a home crowd.

And Fletcher revealed that it ultimately all came down to not letting the small chances he's given slip away.

"It was great," he said. "To go in there in front of your home crowd and to get a warm welcome to jump in is a fantastic feeling.

"You have to take every chance you get and not let pressure get in the way.

"You don't have as many chances as the top riders get so when you do get that chance you try to stay calm and take it when it comes your way."

One of the youngest riders on the circuit, Fletcher didn't quite reach Olympic qualification for Paris but has racked up titles all over the world in his junior career.

And after winning Young Riders European Championship gold just one week before Team GB's Charles, and Brash clinched team jumping Olympic gold alongside Ben Maher, Fletcher is getting used to tasting success.

"The week before Paris, I was at the Young Europeans and won individual gold there and so to see them go and do that was spectacular," he said.

"It was beyond the top sport, the height of the jumps was something we had never seen before.

"To watch the three lads bring it home for Britain was amazing, it gives me goosebumps just talking about it."

The Longines Global Champions Tour is a 16 stage tour which culminates in a final showdown in Riyadh in November.

Promising the best riders and horses from all over the world, the event sets itself against iconic backdrops in some of the best cities in the world.

And with the London leg seeing riders compete in front of the grandeur of the Royal Hospital Chelsea, in the heart of the city, Fletcher believes that the Tour is a spectacle destined to entice crowds.

"Longines have done a fantastic job in getting the money that there is for prizes and the venues you can jump at," he said. "You look at the backdrop here and it's stunning and beautiful and no one can say otherwise.

"Taking the sport to Paris, Miami, Doha and all of these amazing places, it's just a real privilege to compete at them.

"It feels a little bit enclosed in this arena but once you go through the start, you're not focused on the size, you're just focussed on the track and your horse and what's in front of you.

"It's a fantastic spectacle to jump at so I'm delighted to be here."

LONGINES Global Champions Tour. Unique and iconic locations in dynamic capital cities and breathtaking Riviera destinations. The best riders guaranteeing high octane top sport for fans at every event. Precision, power, and elegance combined in one spectacular championship series. For more information visit www.gcglobalchampions.com