Gillian Rolton (1956–2017)

Gillian Rolton was born Gillian England in Adelaide, Australia on May 3, 1956. She received a degree in education from Flinders University and completed a horse riding instructor's course in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. At the age of 21, she started eventing and show jumping. She won an Olympic gold toon meer medal for team eventing at the 1992 Summer Games in Barcelona. She was the first Australian horsewoman to do so. She also won an Olympic gold medal for team eventing at the 1996 Summer Games in Atlanta despite broken bones. After retiring from competitive riding, she continued to coach and support young equestrians. She was one of eight Australian Olympic champions to carry their country's flag in the Olympic opening ceremony in 2000 and was a juror at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. She was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame. Her autobiography, Free Rein, was published in 2001. She died from endometrial cancer on November 18, 2017 at the age of 61. (Bowker Author Biography) toon minder