Three-time Olympian Vicki Roycroft remains in intensive care at Sydney’s Royal Prince Alfred Hospital after a suspected heart attack on Saturday afternoon.
The 69-year-old equestrian is believed to have fallen off her horse just before she was due to compete in the show jumping at the Sydney Royal Easter Show on Saturday.
Ms Roycroft was taken to the nearby Concord hospital before being transferred to the RPA.
Her sister Joanne took to Facebook on Sunday morning to reveal Vicki had a large tear in her aorta and was undergoing an eight-hour surgery.
“Please all pray for Vicki, it will be 3 to 4 days until they know the damage that has been done,” a second loved one wrote in a Facebook post.
Dozens of members of the local equestrian community took to the Olympian’s Facebook page to share their well wishes as Ms Roycroft remains in hospital in a critical condition.
Ms Roycroft represented Australia at the Los Angeles Olympic games in 1984 in three-day eventing.
She later competed in showjumping at the Seoul games in 1988 and most recently at Atlanta in 1996.
The decorated equestrian was awarded the prestigious Australian Sports Medal in 2000 and became the first Australian woman to win the Rome Grand Prix in 1987.
Ms Roycroft was previously married to prominent equestrian Wayne Roycroft, who won two Olympic bronze medals in Mexico City and Montreal.
News Source: www.skynews.com.au
