Rolf-Göran Bengtsson (SWE) is celebrating after securing the world number one slot in the Rolex Rankings for the first time in his career.

The Hong Kong individual silver medallist has also made history by becoming the first Swedish world number one in an Olympic discipline.

In the latest Rolex Rankings, published today, Bengtsson is 81 points ahead of Eric Lamaze (CAN), the reigning Olympic champion who had topped the Rolex Rankings since 1 June 2011.

Bengtsson, who turns 50 this year, will be celebrating his promotion to world number one at the Swedish National Federation’s annual awards ceremony in Stockholm this weekend, when the Swedes will be looking back on a successful 2011 season.

Bengtsson and the brilliant Ninja la Silla added European gold to their 2008 Olympic silver medal when sweeping to victory in the closing stages of the individual title-decider at the FEI European Jumping Championships 2011 in Madrid (SPA).

In the updated Rolex Rankings Eric Lamaze has dropped to second place ahead of McLain Ward (USA), with Pius Schwizer (SUI) in fourth and Ludger Beerbaum (GER) in fifth.