Austin O’Connor

AT 6pm on the night before the eventers’ dressage started in Tokyo, there was a dramatic late switch in the Irish camp. Cathal Daniels’ ride Rioghan Rua, an individual bronze medallist at the European Championships, was pulled out, and Austin O’Connor came into the fray with Colorado Blue. Like a super-sub, he was ready and waiting to make an impact. He went on to finish best of the Irish in 13th.

“I was always prepared, as ready as I could be right up to the off,” says Austin. “In my head, I’d spent a year and a half aiming for this Olympics and I was prepared as if I was going to do it.”

Austin had already watched one Olympics from the substitutes’ bench as reserve in Rio, and he knew he had the horsepower to do Ireland justice this time.

“From the day of selection, it was quite a rollercoaster,” he admits. “There was