Equestrian-Australian Olympic hopeful Rose badly injured in fall

FILE PHOTO: Tokyo 2020 Olympics - Equestrian - Eventing - Jumping Individual - Final - Equestrian Park - Tokyo, Japan - August 2, 2021. Shane Rose of Australia on his horse Virgil competes. REUTERS/Molly Darlington/File Photo

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia's three-times Olympic medallist Shane Rose was seriously injured in a heavy fall this week that could end his hopes of competing in a fourth Summer Games in Paris this year.

The 50-year-old team eventer and his horse Virgil all but secured qualification for the Olympics by winning an event in New Zealand last weekend but fell during a cross-country session on Thursday.