STOCKLEY-based eventer Astier Nicolas revelled in the pressure as he helped to claim France and Wiltshire’s first gold medal of the Rio Olympics.

The 27-year-old had the burden of anchoring the French team in the final show-jumping stage of the three-day eventing competition as he sat second in the individual standings.

However, Nicolas and his horse Piaf de B’Neville didn’t put a foot wrong as they clinched team gold with a final score of 169.0 penalties, 3.80 ahead of second-placed Germany and a further 2.50 ahead of bronze medallists Australia.

“This is fantastic,” Nicolas said afterwards. “There was a lot of pressure going into this, and really, I just had to do what I could for the team.

“Even though there was a lot of pressure, I didn’t let it bother me. I really enjoyed my round and I am very happy.

“It is an immense pleasure to be part of this team that has won gold for France.

“It is something we have waited for a long time."

Nicolas followed that up in the jump-off between the top 25 riders to determine the individual honours, knocking one pole down to take the silver medal, with Michael Jung claiming gold.

Meanwhile, New Zealand’s hopes of claiming a medal at the Olympic Equestrian Venue at Deodoro Park diminished when Swindon-based Sir Mark Todd had an uncharacteristically poor round in the show jumping.

Australia, who were leading overnight after the cross country stage, had left the door open for the Kiwis to clinch gold, needing a clear round from the eight-time Olympian.

However, Todd admitted afterwards that his horse Leonidas II seized up going into the arena, resulting in four poles down and a heart-breaking 16 faults, which the two-time gold medallist described as the ‘biggest low in his career’.

“That was really tough,” said Todd, who has not decided if he will be retiring from the sport.

“We fought back after the dressage to put ourselves into medal position. The other guys did their jobs. If I went clear, we could have won gold.

“The horse got really tense and just froze. I think the atmosphere got to him.

“It has been a real roller coaster but that is how the sport goes. It is not the fairytale ending we had hoped for.

“That second round; he jumped how he should have in the first.

“Seventh (individually) is some consolation but it was a bittersweet ride. I will get home, let the dust settle and then see what I am going to do.”

Fellow New Zealand team-member, Malborough-based Jonelle Price, said her 17th-place finish individually with a score of 73.5 was “respectable” but felt the Kiwis had been on the back foot from the get-go.

“We have been battling away all week, right from when we got here really – it was so close but so far,” said Price, whose husband Tim had seen his Games cut short after a fall in the cross country, having been a late call-up to replace Jock Paget and his injured horse Clifton Lush.

“Faerie Dianimo was a little spooky out there. She is typically such a good jumper, so that is disappointing.”

Little Cheverell-based Canadian Rebecca Howard ended a fine individual performance to finish 10th in the solo standings.