Langley equestrian suffers fall at London Games
Hawley-Bennett Awad sustained a concussion after falling from her horse Gin & Juice on Monday, during the 2012 Summer Olympics.
Two-time Olympian Hawley Bennett-Awad, from Murrayville, is reportedly in stable condition in hospital. The Murrayville native fell from her horse during Monday’s eventing cross-country competition at the 2012 London Olympics.
Photograph by: Canadian Olympic Committee , Langley Advance
Langley rider Hawley Bennett-Awad has been hospitalized after falling from her horse Gin & Juice during the London 2012 Olympic Games.
Bennett-Awad, who competes in the three-pronged equestrian sport of eventing, was competing in the cross country portion on Monday when the accident happened.
Eventing includes three tests: dressage riding, cross-country jumping, and show jumping.
The Canadian Olympic Committee released the following statement regarding the condition of Bennett-Awad.
“Bennett-Awad suffered a concussion, which is improving significantly. She also suffered a stable sacral fracture. Bennett-Awad was transported to hospital by ambulance and admitted for observation and pain management. We will continue to monitor her progress.”
A statement also appeared on Bennett-Awad’s website, hawleybennett.com, on Monday. It read: “Thanks to everyone for all your well wishes today! Hawley will be kept tonight for observation but is stable.”
Bennett-Awad, 35, originally from Murrayville and now residing in Temecula, Calif. where she runs a training facility, earned a spot competing in the 2012 Olympics in London after being a part of a four-person team that won silver at the 2010 World Equestrian Games in Lexington, KY.
She placed 17th individually at that competition.
“It’s still just a little overwhelming,” Bennett said when it became official in the fall of 2010.
This was Bennett-Awad’s second Olympic experience.
In 2004, the then 27-year-old Bennett-Awad was the youngest competitor and the only female on the five-member Canadian Olympic Eventing Team in Athens, Greece.
Team Canada finished 12th overall following the three phases of the equestrian discipline.
Bennett-Awad rode Livingstone (“Hank”), her 14-year-old Canadian thoroughbred gelding, bred in Langley by Dr. Bryan Anderson, in Athens.
Individually, she finished 64th overall in her Olympic debut.
In total, 75 horse-rider combinations competed in eventing at the Athens Games.
In 2010 Bennett-Awad carried the Olympic Flame through Richmond, prior to the Winter Games held in Vancouver/Whistler.
She also carried the Olympic Flame in 1988.
