Mankini rider heads to Paris after 19 broken bones on the way

There’s no such thing as playing it safe in the world of Shane Rose.

The 51-year-old equestrian star made international news this year for wearing a mankini at fancy dress event – an incident that almost threatened to exile him from the sport – and a month later was lying in a hospital bed after breaking bones in 19 different places when a 550kg horse fell on him.

But after overcoming months of rehabilitation, Rose has officially booked his spot on the Australian equestrian team for Paris 2024 alongside eight other riders.

Shane Rose has overcome controversy and serious injury to secure his place at the Olympics. Credit: Louise Kennerley

Rose will compete at his fourth Olympics with teammates Chris Burton and Kevin McNab after it was revealed Andrew Hoy, Australia’s most-capped Olympian and a Tokyo silver medallist, would not be selected.

Despite everything, Rose remained positive about making it to Paris.

“You might have a day where you think, I’m not as good as I was hoping to be, the expectations are probably unrealistic that you’re going to be perfect the next day,” Rose said.

“But I haven’t really had too many moments where I doubted what I was going to do, and the fact every day that I have, the next day has been a bigger improvement [is positive].”

Far from being cautious on his rocky road from the hospital bed to the Olympics, three-time Olympic medallist Rose is back riding up to 30 horses a day and has hit the deck twice since his fall in March.

“I feel like in order for me to be 100 per cent fit, I need to be able to do the things that make me the person I am, or the rider I am, and if I was going to get injured doing that, then so be it,” Rose said.

“But I felt like I had to be confident that I would be able to react in any situation, and riding young horses that react at lots of different things has heightened, got those reflexes going that I’d need if things don’t go perfectly in Paris. ”

Shane Rose (left) in a wheelchair during his recovery and riding in his mankini.

The falls reassure Rose he has the physical capability to compete in Paris.

“Fallen off twice [since March], one in a training situation,” he explained. “I was on a young horse and he got a little confused and got a rail between his front legs and fell to the ground, and I fell off the side.

“So it wasn’t a nasty fall, but it’s good that I was able to get back up, it didn’t really hurt too much and hasn’t set me back. I landed on my bum pretty hard. That’s where most of my breaks were, so as I got up and it was a little sore it wasn’t great, but within 30 seconds I was fine and got back on and rode another eight horses.”

Rose has two silver medals and a bronze to his name already, but if he wins the elusive gold, there could be a unique celebration awaiting spectators in Paris.

“If we win a gold medal, I think there will be a gold mankini somewhere.”

Sports news, results and expert commentary. Sign up for our Sport newsletter.