Team GB add another GOLD medal to their tally as Scott Brash and his horse Jefferson secure a shock win in the equestrian team jumping final ahead of the United States and France

Like father, like son. Twelve years after watching his dad Peter win Olympic team jumping gold at London 2012, Harry Charles amazingly emulated him by riding to glory at Paris 2024.

It was the first time a British father and son have both been Olympic champions since rower Dickie Burnell followed his old man Charles in 1948. And to make the story even sweeter, Charles stood atop the podium at Chateau de Versailles yesterday alongside Ben Maher and Scott Brash – two of his dad's team-mates from 12 years ago.

'My inner, younger self is freaking out a bit!' said Charles with a smile. 'It's going to take a few weeks to sink in.'

Charles was just a wide-eyed 13-year-old when his dad, Maher, Brash and Nick Skelton famously struck gold at Greenwich Park – Britain's first team jumping win in 60 years. That, he admitted yesterday, was what made him want to go on and become a rider himself. Talk about inspiring a generation.

'Being in the stands at Greenwich Park was definitely the most pivotal moment when I was younger,' said the 25-year-old, whose tearful dad was in the stands yesterday in a role reversal from 2012.

'My dad wanted me to be a golfer. I was playing a lot of golf and riding a few ponies at the same time. But that was the moment I realised I was a lot better at riding horses than swinging golf clubs.

'Ben and Scott are both my heroes, guys I have looked up to since I started riding. So to be on the podium with them now, it's pretty cool. My dad said, 'Enjoy every minute of that ceremony, it will probably be the best moment of your life' – and it is.'

For 41-year-old Maher and 38-year-old Brash, teaming up to win gold with the teenager who cheered them on at Greenwich Park was also surreal.

'He looked exactly the same then as he does now,' laughed Maher. 'We call him 'Bieber' in the team!'

Well, Bieber was certainly on song on his horse Romeo 88 yesterday, three years after he hit a bum note on his Olympic debut in Tokyo, knocking three fences as Britain finished in seventh in the team final.

In fact, Team GB's trio were all in tune at Chateau de Versailles, the former palace of King Louis XIV, 12 miles west of Paris.

Maher was first up on Dallas Vegas Batilly, picking up just a solitary time penalty to fire Britain – the world bronze medallists – to the top of the standings.

Then Charles, who broke his arm only a month ago making him a doubt for the Games, pulled off a flawless clear round on Romeo 88, later describing it as the round of his life.

It meant the gold would be Britain's if Brash, the final rider of the competition, could follow suit on Jefferson – and he held his nerve.

Despite brushing a couple of fences, the Scot went clear in 79.54sec, incurring just one time penalty. And he punched the air and patted his horse knowing Team GB had beaten USA and hosts France to secure only their third Olympic gold in this event, after London 2012 and Helsinki 1952.

'It was right up there with the most intense moments of my career,' said Brash. 'You have just got to try and block everything out.

'The lads put me in an unbelievable position and then Jefferson was amazing. He coped unbelievably with the atmosphere and stayed relaxed and cool.'

For Maher, this was a third Olympic gold medal – having also won the individual jumping title at Tokyo 2020. It draws him level with Richard Meade and Charlotte Dujardin as Britain's most successful Olympic equestrian riders.

'I didn't know that stat but it's incredible,' he said. 'Everyone is as important as each other. None of us could have done a better job today than what we did.'

This win was also a second equestrian gold for Team GB at these Games, coming just days after the Dujardin horse-whipping scandal had dragged the reputation of the sport back home through the mud.

'These horses are looked after better than most people are,' added Brash. 'The message to fans back home is that we have brought back a gold medal and done our country proud.

'We want equestrian to stay in the Olympic Games and I think we have showcased top sport today.' Top sport and a fairytale family story.