Britain's Skelton wins show jumping gold

The 58-year-old, who is competing in this seventh Olympics and helped win a team gold at London 2012, won gold after a fast and penalty-free jumpoff.

Britain's Nick Skelton on his horse Big Star competes in the individual equestrian show jumping event at the Olympic Equestrian Centre on Friday.

Britain's Nick Skelton won gold in show jumping on Friday after a fast and penalty-free jumpoff that none of the five riders who followed could catch.

The 58-year-old, who is competing in this seventh Olympics and helped win a team gold at London 2012, went clear on Big Star in 42.82 seconds.

Sweden's Peder Fredricson took second as the only other rider in the jumpoff to jump clear, though at a slightly slower pace. Canada's Eric Lamaze took bronze. As the final rider to go, he jumped a quick round on Fine Lady but knocked a rail over.

Six of the world's top show jumpers competed in the jumpoff to determine medals after no clear winner emerged from the two scheduled rounds.

London 2012 defending champion Steve Guerdat of Switzerland had one rail down. Sheikh Ali Bin Khalid Al Thani, part of Qatar's first-ever Olympic show jumping team, and Kent Farrington of the United States each had multiple rails down.

The jumping qualifying rounds that started on Sunday gradually narrowed a field of 70 Olympic show jumping horse and riders down to the final six.