Olympic countdown: 70 days

Dressage suitable for a 70-year-old

Denmark's Lis Hartel overcame polio to win a dressage medal

Having just past her 70th birthday when she took part in the dressage in 1972, Britain's Lorna Johnstone became the oldest female Olympic competitor.

She finished a creditable 12th out of the 33 riders in Munich, of which another 20 were women.

And Liselott Linsenhoff of West Germany became the first female individual dressage gold medallist.

Women first competed in 1952 when Lis Hartel won silver, despite being paralysed below the knees.

Hartel had been one of Denmark's leading riders when she was struck down with polio in 1944, aged 23.

But she fought against her condition and, after finishing second in the Scandinavian riding championship three years later, went on to be selected for the Munich Games.

The moment when gold medallist Henri Saint Cyr of Sweden (who won four Olympic gold medals in all) helped her onto the medals platform in 1952 was one of the most emotional moments in Olympic history.

And the two were there four years later when they were first and second again.

Prior to 1952 only commissioned officer were allowed to compete in the event.

And, among the strange events that have happened in dressage history, Bertil Sandstrom of Sweden was relegated from second to last place in 1932 having been accused of making clicking noises to encourage his horse in 1932.