July 29, 2007: Canada's Ian Millar rides "In Style" during the final jumping competition at the Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro. (AP)
CALGARY, Alberta – Ian Millar will appear in more Olympics than any athlete in history when he enters the showjumping ring aboard Star Power at the London Games.
The 65-year-old Millar is about to surpass Austrian sailor Hubert Raudaschl, who was an Olympian nine times from 1964 to 1996.
"It's a great thrill to be doing this for the 10th time," Millar said late Thursday. "I never had a grand plan.
"It was all about the journey because the destination is, at best, very uncertain as it is in life."
Millar's Olympic career spans 40 years. He could have been riding in his 11th Olympics this month, as he was named to the Canada team in 1980, but didn't compete in Moscow because of a boycott.
He was one of the candidates to carry Canada's flag in the opening ceremonies on July 27 and would welcome the opportunity to do so.
"It would be a fantastic honor to carry the flag and a great celebration for equestrian," he said.
Millar and Star Power are among Canada's 19 Olympic horse-and-rider combinations.
He won his only Olympic medal in the 2008 Beijing Games, a silver in team showjumping, and his competitive edge remains.
"We always think we're going to win and we're really surprised when we don't," he said. "I think any athlete feels that way. If you don't think you're going to win, you shouldn't go."
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