LONDON - British three day event riding great William Fox-Pitt will compete at his fifth Olympic Games in Rio in August just months after he suffered serious head injuries in a fall.
Britain's William Fox-Pitt competes on his horse Lionheart in the dressage event at the London 2012 Olympics
The 47-year-old -- who won team silver in London in 2012 and 2004 and bronze in 2008 -- is the wise old head in the quartet selected on Tuesday for the demanding event.
The other three Gemma Tattersall, Kitty King and Izzy Taylor will all be Games debutants.
Fox-Pitt, who has won the prestigious Badminton Horse Trials twice, said gaining a place on the plane to Rio had been a great motivating force for him in his rehabilitation after the fall in Le Lion d'Angers at the World Young Horse Championships last October.
"I felt maybe Rio was selfish but it gave me a kick into action," he told the BBC.
"I did think I'd been doing it for 32 years, did I need to carry on doing it?.
"An individual title would be marvellous although I think if I did win a medal my wife (racing TV presenter Alice Plunkett with whom he has two children) would make me give up."
Fox-Pitt, who will ride his 2015 Badminton Horse Trials winner Chilli Morning in Rio, said despite his age and his wife's wishes he couldn't say this would be his last Games.
"I've been around a long time, I'm 47 and I'm hoping my wife thinks this will be my last Olympics. I'm not ruling myself out for Tokyo, if it happens brilliant.
"The Rio goal was a great drive personally, it gave me a good reason to get back.
"I didn't want to let Chilli Morning down, I put everything into getting selected."
Fox-Pitt, though, is a mere scamp in age compared to three of the British showjumping team.
Nick Skelton, who won team gold in 2012, gains selection at the age of 58 -- one other team-mate from 2012 joins him Ben Maher - whilst the remarkable Whitaker brothers, 60-year-old John and 56-year-old Michael, who helped Britain win silver at the Los Angeles Olympics 32 years ago, complete the group.
It will be John Whitaker's sixth Olympics appearance.
Great Britain equestrian team for Rio (horses in brackets):
Dressage - Charlotte Dujardin (Valegro), Carl Hester (Nip Tuck), Fiona Bigwood (Atterupgaards Orthilia)), Spencer Wilton (Super Nova II); Eventing - William Fox-Pitt (Chilli Morning), Kitty King (Ceylor LAN), Gemma Tattersall (Chico Bella), Izzy Taylor (Allercombe Ellie); Showjunping - Ben Maher (Tic Tac), Nick Skelton (Big Star), John Whitaker (Ornelliaia), Michael Whitaker (Cassionato)