She became Olympic champion at the 1976 Olympic Games. After her career, she worked in the family business. Now Gabriela Grillo has died.
Mourning for Olympic dressage champion Gabriela Grillo: The 1976 gold medalist died last weekend at the age of 71 in her home town of Mülheim an der Ruhr. This was announced by the Grillo family business. After retiring as a rider, Grillo held senior positions in the Duisburg company.
Grillo celebrated her greatest sporting success at the 1976 Summer Games in Montreal. With the German team she won gold alongside Harry Boldt and Reiner Klimke on her successful horse Ultimo, and Grillo came fourth in the individual ranking. Grillo also won two World Championships and three European Championship titles with the dressage team. The six-time German champion was part of the dressage squad from 1976 to 1982.
After her career ended, Gabriela Grillo got involved with young talent. With the Herbert Grillo Family Foundation and the German Equestrian Sports Foundation, she has been supporting dressage talents with scholarships since 2015. Grillo supported schools in socially disadvantaged areas and was awarded the Federal Cross of Merit 1st Class by the Federal President in 2021 for her social commitment.