KEY POINTS:
Equestrian eventing legend Mark Todd, named to the New Zealand Olympics team yesterday, says the competitive fires are burning brightly once again - and this could give him an edge at the Games.
"I am loving competition again - one of the reasons I gave up was because I lost all motivation - it didn't do anything for me any more," he told Radio Sport today.
"And having had this break and having come back with this horse (Gandalf), I think I am just as competitive as ever.
"As long as we get there in one piece,... anything can happen in these Games.
"I certainly won't be going there as one of the favoured competitors on the international scene, but you just never know."
After eight years in retirement, Todd completed a successful return to the elite level, joining teammate Andrew Nicholson as New Zealand's most capped Olympians - both will compete in their sixth Games.
They will be joined by Joe Meyer, Caroline Powell and Heelan Tompkins in Hong Kong where the Olympic equestrian events will be held.
" For me, being part of the team is great and if I can help the team doing something, then that will be brilliant as well," added Todd.
New Zealand Olympic Committee secretary general and selector, Barry Maister said Todd and Nicholson were part of a fantastic team and there were high hopes for them.
Widely regarded as one of the greatest riders of all time, Todd, won Olympics gold at Los Angeles in 1984 and Seoul in 1988.
Britain-based Nicholson, known for his consistency on the European eventing circuit, is continuing an Olympic association that started at Los Angeles in 1994.
He has been a regular top-10 performer over a number of years and holds the record for the most number of Badminton completions, which is regarded as the world's most prestigious four-star event.
"(The team's) better than what it could have been a couple of years ago and it's getting stronger all the time," Nicholson said.
"We have a good chance of winning a team medal."
New Zealand team and mounts: Mark Todd (Gandalf), Andrew Nicholson (Lord Killinghurst), Caroline Powell (Lenamore), Joe Meyer (Snip), Heelan Tompkins (Sugoi).
- NZPA
