Olympic veteran King keeps her focus on world games

MULTI-Olympic medallist Mary King admitted she already has one eye on her London 2012 breed — but won't start thinking about them until after next year's World Equestrian Games.

King suffered heartache in September when an injury to Imperial Cavalier forced her out of the European Championships and a chance to add to her record of four team golds and individual bronze and silver.

The 48-year-old made the decision with a view to the worlds in Kentucky next autumn and more importantly the London 2012 Olympics.

King — who has also ridden Kings Temptress this year — has begun casting a net over who she will and will not ride in London but insists that will continue to be secondary until after the worlds.

"Missing out on the European Championships was a huge disappointment but with the worlds coming up in Kentucky it was the right decision," said five-time Olympian King.

"The European's are obviously a huge event but the World Equestrian Games is what we all look to and where we want to do well. Obviously from the moment an Olympics finishes you always tend to start looking towards the next one and preparing for that but you can't forget the things in between.

"There are already a couple of horses that I'm looking at that seem to have the potential to compete at the Olympics.

"They are shaping-up very nicely and if they keep developing the way they have been then I'm sure we will be there or thereabouts but there is a lot still to come."

King is one the most experienced Brits currently riding having added Olympic team bronze in Hong Kong to the double team silver she won in Athens in 2004 and in Sydney four years earlier.

Britain, in King's absence, claimed team gold at the European Championships a little over a year after their success in the Far East with Kristina Cook also claiming individual gold.

King alongside William Fox-Pitt will undoubtedly lead Team GB's equestrian charge in less than three years time but isn't under-estimating the task in hand to get there.

"The Olympics are the pinnacle of your career as an athlete and I would love nothing more than to win a gold medal in my own country in front of a home crowd.

"It's been a pretty up and down season and that has made things hard but overall it was a pretty solid year and I'm pretty happy with how things went.

"I've been lucky enough to go to five Olympics now and it is one of the best feelings in the world and I'm sure it will be even better in London."

Lloyds TSB, proud partner of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and supporter of Team GB on their journey to London 2012. LloydsTSB.com/London2012