Olympics: Todd Retains Bronze Position

In a heart-stopping second phase of the Olympic three-day event Mark Todd delivered an inspired cross country round to remain in third position overnight at London 2012.

Within a whisker of the gold medal position, Mark was a mere 0.6 seconds over the allotted time of 10 minutes and three seconds which resulted in 0.4 time penalties and an overall tally of 39.50. This places him just 0.2 penalty points behind joint leaders, Ingrid Klimke of Germany and Sara Algotsson Ostholt of Sweden.

The master horseman negotiated the majority of the cross country with unbuckled reins yet managed to guide mount NZB Campino through the course.

Mark Todd and Olympic mount NZB Campino

"I didn't have the smoothest ride ever - it felt a bit rough in places," Todd said. "By about fence six my reins came completely undone.

"It was a big ask for a horse like that to go that quick round a track like this, and certainly not his ideal track because he is such a big, long-striding horse.

"I knew I just had to keep pushing and asking the questions, and he kept responding. I am absolutely thrilled with the horse."

Already a double individual Olympic gold medallist, no rider in Olympic history has ever won three and that will be within Mark's reach going into the show jumping overnight tonight.

Two clear rounds in the show jumping will guarantee Mark another Olympic medal while an error from Klimke or Algotsson Ostholt would see him progress up the leader board.

New Zealand are now fourth in the teams' competition after Andrew Nicholson aced the course on Nereo to move to ninth on 45.00 and Jonathan Paget sits in 14th on 48.90. This places New Zealand less than one rail (in the show jumping) behind Sweden in third and Great Britain in second while leaders Germany are six points ahead.

Mark is proudly sponsored by New Zealand Bloodstock who supported him in his campaign to the Beijing Olympics in 2008 and continues to support him in this new Olympic quest at London 2012.