Mary Jane Tumbridge

M.J. Tumbridge
Personal information
Full nameMary Jane Tumbridge
NationalityBermudian
Born (1964-07-12) 12 July 1964 (age 60)
Medal record
Equestrian
Representing  Bermuda
Pan American Games
Gold medal – first place 1999 Winnipeg Individual eventing
Silver medal – second place 1991 Chatsworth Team eventing
Bronze medal – third place 1991 Chatsworth Individual eventing

Mary Jane "M.J." Tumbridge (born 12 July 1964) is a Bermudian equestrian.[1][2] She competed at the 1992 Summer Olympics and the 2000 Summer Olympics.[3] She was the first sportsperson from Bermuda to win a gold medal at the Pan Am Games,[4][5] and is considered to be the best equestrian from the country.[6]

Biography

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Tumbridge was born in 1964 in Bermuda and began horse riding at the age of seven.[4] At the age of eighteen, Tumbridge moved to the United States to compete in competitions, before moving to England in 1992.[4] At the 1991 Pan American Games, Tumbridge won a silver medal, and six years later, at the 1999 Pan American Games, she won gold.[4] Also in 1999, she was named as Bermuda's Female Athlete of the Year.[4][7]

At the Olympic Games, Tumbridge competed in the individual eventing at the 1992 Summer Olympics,[8] and the same discipline at the 2000 Summer Olympics.[9] She was also the flag bearers for Bermuda at the 2000 Olympics.[10]

At the 2000 Summer Olympics, Tumbridge rode the horse "Bermuda's Gold", the same horse she had won her gold medal at the Pan American Games a year earlier.[4][11] However, during the Olympics, the horse broke her left hind leg, and was euthanised.[4][12] This was the first time since the 1968 Summer Olympics that a horse had to be put down at the Olympics.[4][13]

Following the Olympics, Tumbridge became a horse riding coach in England.[14]

References

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  1. ^ "MJ Tumbridge". Olympedia. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  2. ^ "Bermuda Equestrian Federation". High Offley Stud. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  3. ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "MJ Tumbridge". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 4 December 2016. Retrieved 4 May 2020. Full name: Mary Jane Tumbridge
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h "MJ Tumbridge". Bernews. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  5. ^ "History of the Bermuda Equestrian Federation". Bermuda Equestrian Federation. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  6. ^ "Seven Decades of Pan Am Games Thrills". FEI. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  7. ^ "Has Bermuda Triangle Jinx Reached Sydney?". SportCal. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  8. ^ "Individual, Open". Olympedia. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  9. ^ "Individual, Open". Olympedia. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  10. ^ "Flagbearers for 2000 Summer Olympics". Olympedia. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  11. ^ "Horse put to death after event". ESPN. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  12. ^ "American Rider Leads After Accident-Marred Day". The New York Times. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  13. ^ "Bermudians who competed in the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia". Bernews. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  14. ^ "'Fearless' Bolt reminds me of me, says Tumbridge". Royal Gazette. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
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