Pahud de Mortanges, Charles Ferdinand

▪ Dutch athlete

born May 13, 1896, The Hague, Netherlands

died April 7, 1971, The Hague

      Dutch equestrian who was one of the most successful riders in Olympic history, winning four gold medals and a silver in the 1920s and '30s.

      Pahud de Mortanges competed in the three-day equestrian events, which combined dressage, endurance, and show jumping. At the 1924 Olympics in Paris, Pahud de Mortanges finished in fourth place riding the horse Johnny Walker in the individual three-day event. In the team competition, Pahud de Mortanges and Johnny Walker were part of the Netherlands team that won the gold medal. At the 1928 Olympics in Amsterdam, Pahud de Mortanges rode Marcroix to earn two gold medals. Much to the delight of his countrymen, Pahud de Mortanges led The Netherlands to a second consecutive team gold in addition to his individual gold. At the 1932 Olympics in Los Angeles, Pahud de Mortanges won the gold medal in the individual event, again riding Marcroix. He added a silver medal when the United States edged out The Netherlands for the team gold.

      Pahud de Mortanges concluded his competitive Olympic career at the 1936 Games in Berlin but did not win a medal. After retiring, he became a member of the Olympic Committee of The Netherlands.

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