Van Grunsven wins dressage gold

Anky van Grunsven canters to gold

Anky van Grunsven won the gold medal in the Olympic individual dressage event, holding off the challenge from her long time rival Isabell Werth of Germany in the freestyle round.

Van Grunsven finished on 239.18 points after the three dressage rounds - grand prix, grand prix special and freestyle - ahead of Werth, the 1996 gold medallist, on 234.19.

Germany's Ulla Salzgeber won bronze with a score of 230.57.

Salzgeber had to come back and complete her round after the backing music broke down the first time she entered the ring.

But she did enough to overtake her compatriot Nadine Capellmann who had been in third position.