Fans praise Ros Canter, the golden ‘girl from Lincolnshire’

Fans praise Ros Canter, the golden ‘girl from Lincolnshire’

Image caption, Ros Canter (left) was part of the Team GB eventing team that won gold in Paris

  • Author, Charis Scott-Holm
  • Role, BBC News

Olympic gold medallist Ros Canter will inspire local people to follow her example, residents who live close to her Lincolnshire home have said.

Back in Hubbard’s Hills, close to where Canter lives, local people were thrilled to hear the self-described “girl from Lincolnshire” had secured Team GB’s first gold of the games.

“I think it’s marvellous for anyone around the area to have achieved so much,” Martin Wells said. “I’m sure it will inspire people to do well in school and in sports.”

Image caption, At Hubbard’s Hills, near Louth, residents including Dawn Wells were impressed with Ros Canter’s achievements

Richard Shaw added: “I think it’s great to see someone local do so well, in the Olympics especially, because it’s quite a high standard.”

Dawn Wells said: “It is wonderful what she’s done, I do know who the lady is and I think it’s lovely she’s done so well.”

Canter suffered a setback when judges awarded her a 15-point penalty in the cross-country round, but she bounced back in the showjumping finale.

Afterwards, an emotional Canter described winning as “amazing”, before adding: “I can’t really talk. I’m done.”

Speaking to the BBC after her showjumping round, but before being confirmed as a gold medallist, she said: “I’m unbelievably proud of my horse and the people around me.

“I’m just a girl from Lincolnshire, coming from a farming background, so to get to an Olympic games, it’s just absolutely surreal.”

Image caption, Canter and Lordships Graffalo compete in the showjumping round

Canter, who rode Lordships Graffalo, said she hoped people in her home county had “enjoyed watching” her compete.

While she was “disappointed” with the 15-point penalty, she added: “As long as the performance I’ve given is good enough for the team, that’s all I could have done.”