Gillian Rolton AM

Gillian Rolton (1956–2017), equestrian, was the first Australian woman to win an Olympic equestrian gold medal, competing as part of the 1992 three-day event team in Barcelona. She returned four years later to win a second team gold medal at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, despite being thrown twice and sustaining a broken collar-bone and two broken ribs.

Rolton was instrumental in putting Adelaide and Australian on the world sporting map, serving as the director of the Mitsubishi Motors Australian International Three-Day Event for 10 years. This annual equestrian competition is one of only six Olympic standard events held globally and is unique worldwide for being staged in the heart of a city centre, in the Adelaide Park Lands.

A member of the Australian Sporting Hall of Fame and respected international equestrian event judge, in 2017 the City of Adelaide awarded sporting legend Gillian Rolton the Key to the City.

Celebrating 125 years of women's suffrage in South Australia.

Image: State Library of South Australia, Messenger Press Collection, B 70869/14093, circa 1995