Ros Canter’s husband has told of their family’s elation, as she and her eventing teammates won the first gold medal for Team GB at the Paris Olympics.
Canter, Laura Collett and Tom McEwen sealed Great Britain’s fifth Olympic eventing team title at the Chateau de Versailles on Monday.
It comes after diving star Tom Daley won silver in the men’s synchronised 10m alongside teammate Noah Williams.
Chris McAleese, Canter’s husband – who watched with the equestrian’s parents, told the PA news agency: “Obviously we feel elated.
“I think the whole team, the support team in the crew and everything else have done a stunning job to get the team to the position where it was.
“I suppose the disappointment of the 15 penalties was actually overcome in terms of the team and the team came to be successful as a result.”
A total of 15.8 penalties incurred on Saturday’s cross-country stage had made it tight at the top with second-placed France.
Britain also triumphed in the team competition in Tokyo, with this victory making them the first nation to win the team gold medal on five occasions.
Away from sunny Versailles, Daley’s husband and two young children were among spectators cheering at the Aquatics Centre earlier on Monday.
Daley and Williams came second behind China but were all smiles after the event – with the latter pecking his teammate on the cheek as the pair held up their silver gongs.
Before the Games, Daley’s husband, American screenwriter Dustin Lance Black, shared on Instagram that their eldest son Robbie told his parents over a year ago that he wished he could watch his “papa” dive in the Olympics in person.
The two young boys could be seen in the crowd on Monday, with Mr Black pumping his fist after one of Daley and Williams’s dives while Debbie Daley also cheered her son on from the stands.
Speaking to the BBC after competing, Daley said: “This time last year deciding to come back, not knowing whether I would make the synchro team let alone qualify for a spot for the Olympics, and now to be here in Paris diving in front of my son, who’s just right there, who actually asked me to come back, is just so special.”
He added: “My husband has been there for me for this whole year and he has really taken the reins with the kids when I’ve had to travel and stuff and it’s just so special that we get to enjoy this moment together.”
Williams grew emotional and asked Daley to speak for him when he was asked about what the silver medal means to him after his coach died following the Tokyo games.
Daley told the broadcaster: “I’ve never seen Noah cry in my whole life, and I know how much this has meant to him and to (his former coach) Dave.
“Dave has been such a key part in Noah’s diving success and career and it’s very sad that he’s not here to be able to see this, but I know both Dave and my dad would be very proud to see us going in and doing a really, really solid performance there for a silver medal.”
Daley’s father died in May 2011 after being diagnosed with a brain tumour five years earlier.
Elsewhere in Paris, Team GB stars Tom Pidcock and Max Whitlock will be going for medals in their respective events on Monday.
