Good luck and bad luck lie close together in front of the castle. Christoph Wahler falls from his horse, which costs the German team precious metal. But in the individual event, gold is in store for Michael Jung.
Event rider Christoph Wahler left the gardens of the Palace of Versailles on foot with tears in his eyes. His fall with his horse Carjatan shattered his dream of an Olympic team medal. But at least he could win gold in the individual event, as Michael Jung rode Chipmunk on a dream lap on the 5149-meter cross-country course and took the lead.
When Jung finished his perfect ride with a beaming smile, Wahler had long since shuffled into the stables, sobbing. The Olympics are already over for the 30-year-old professional, while Jung can hope for his fourth gold medal on Monday. As the leader, he would be the winner with two faultless rounds in the jumping.
Horse “didn’t hurt itself”.
Horse and rider were uninjured when they fell at jump 16. “Thank God he didn’t fall and didn’t hurt himself,” said the 30-year-old rider from Bad Bevensen about his gelding. “He’s in great shape,” said Wahler. “That’s the most important thing, that’s our first concern.” The horse groom Li Ann Kirchheim brought Carjatan to the stable.
Wahler fell from his horse, which stumbled before jumping, and rolled over once during the fall – and “barely noticed it,” as he reported. “The worst blow is the mental one,” said the rider, who was part of the German gold-winning team with Carjatan at the World Championships in Italy two years ago. National coach Peter Thomsen described the fall as a “total disappointment.”
The fallen rider could not be consoled. “It is of course incredibly bitter that it happened today, when it really counts,” he said, struggling to keep his composure. “It is many years of work that should have been crowned here – but that is it now.”
Jung, on the other hand, can hope for another coronation. The three-time Olympic champion showed a splendid ride in front of around 40,000 spectators in the royal park.
Jung on course for gold after flawless ride
Jung took the lead before the final jumping competition on Monday. The 41-year-old professional rode Chipmunk flawlessly. The British rider Laura Collett, who was in the lead after the dressage, was a bit too slow with her horse London, received 0.8 penalty points and fell back to second place. “Unbelievable, it was just great fun,” said Jung, commenting on his ride: “Chipmunk has so much energy, gallops forward so dynamically.”
However, the 41-year-old warned when asked about the gold that was within his grasp. “Everything can still go wrong. I’m not thinking about gold right now,” the rider emphasised. “I’m happy for now and I’m trying to enjoy it.” Things will continue on Monday, explained Jung: “I’m in a very good mood and positive.” His horse Chipmunk is still fresh and “will be just as sharp tomorrow”.
Julia Krajewski from Warendorf had previously put in a good performance as the starting rider. The 35-year-old, who won individual gold with Amande in Tokyo three years ago, remained faultless with her new horse Nickel, only receiving penalty points for exceeding the target time and is in 14th place.
Source: Stern
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