Advertisement

Father-son French equestrians win gold 40 years apart, join exclusive list

French riders Jean-Marcel (left) and Philippe Rozier won Olympic show jumping gold medals 40 years apart. (Getty Images)
French equestrians Jean-Marcel (left) and Philippe Rozier won Olympic show jumping gold medals 40 years apart. (Getty Images)

Medal count | Olympic schedule | Olympic news

Philippe Rozier comes from good stock.

The 53-year-old French show jumping rider first competed in the equestrian competition at the 1984 Summer Olympics, but it wasn’t until Wednesday that he captured his only gold medal in team show jumping — finally matching the gold his father captured in the same event 40 years before him.

Jean-Marcel Rozier sandwiched three French Championships between a silver medal at the 1968 Mexico Olympics and a gold at the 1976 Montreal Olympics. He established the Espace Rozier equestrian center outside Paris, and it was there that his sons Philippe and Thierry — whom he sired in 1963 and 1964, respectively — rose to prominence as part of the show jumping Team Marionnaud.

Philippe qualified for Team France, along with Kevin Staut, Rober Yves Bost and Penelope Leprevost. Led by Jean-Marcel’s eldest son, the foursome edged silver medalist Team USA and bronze medalist Germany for gold on Wednesday. They are believed to be the first French father-son duo to win gold.

Philippe also competed in the 1984 and 2000 Summer Olympics but finished far from a medal. The Roziers join an exclusive few father-son tandems to capture an Olympic gold medal. This list includes:

• Swedish shooters Oscar (1908, 1912) and Alfred Swahn (1908, 1912).

• British rowers Charles (1908) and Dickie Burnell (1948).

• Armenian gymnasts Albert (1956, 1960) and Eduard Azaryan (1980).

• American sprinters Charles (1956) and Chip Jenkins (1992).

• American sailors Bill (1984) and Carl Buchan (1984).

• American ice hockey players Bill (1960) and Dave Christian (1980). Bill’s brother Roger, Dave’s uncle, was also a member of the 1960 U.S. Olympic Hockey Team. Another uncle, Gordon, earned silver in 1956.

• German field hockey player Erwin Keller earned silver in 1936, but his son Carsten (1972), grandsons Andreas (1992) and Florian (2008) and granddaughter Natascha (2004) all captured field hockey gold.

• Hungarian water polo players Istvan Szivos (1952, 1956) and Istvan Szivos Jr. (1976). Istvan Jr.’s son Marton Szivos is a member of Hungary’s water polo team in Rio de Janeiro, but his chance at a third-generation gold medal in 2016 ended with a 13-11 loss to Montenegro in the quarterfinals.

Third-generation gold medalists are a rare breed. Maybe it’s time to put Philippe Rozier out to stud.