Germany’s Michael Jung sealed his third individual Olympic eventing victory this afternoon when he pulled off a beautiful showjumping clear aboard Chipmunk FRH in Paris.
Laura Collett also showjumped clear to secure another medal for Britain — following this morning’s historic fifth team gold — and collected individual bronze aboard London 52.
“I never thought this day would come,” said a tearful Laura. “I owe absolutely everything to that horse.
L-R: Chris Burton, Michael Jung and Laura Collett
“It’s so many years of hard work and blood, sweat and tears. Emotional rollercoaster doesn’t even do it justice, but for moments like this every single bad day is so worth it.
“You just have to never give up and never lose hope. You can never dream too big.”
Australia’s Chris Burton took the silver on Shadow Man.
This horse was produced by British rider Ben Hobday and Chris only started riding the chestnut this year, returning to the eventing scene to ride him after swapping to pure showjumping a few years ago.
Fourth for McEwen
Tom McEwen finishes fourth
Britain’s Tom McEwen won individual silver in Tokyo three years ago but just missed out on another shiny medallion here, finishing fourth with JL Dublin.
He was pipped by Laura by 2.7 penalties.
Fourth is never an easy position to finish in at an Olympics, because it’s the first that doesn’t come with a medal. However, the team gold hanging around is neck is sure to help.
Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo, the third part of Britain’s team gold medal-winning eventing machine, finished 21st individually.
Ros is the current World Number One but was hampered in Paris by the controversial 15 penalties she picked up for missing a white flag in yesterday’s cross-country phase.
Without that she would have finished inside the top 10.
History maker
Michael Jung wins his third gold with Chipmunk FRH
Michael Jung has been rewriting the history books for a number of years now.
If his reputation as the most successful event rider to ever live was ever in doubt, he has surely cemented that title now.
He is the first event rider to ever win three individual Olympic titles. His first came at the London 2012 Games, where he also led the German squad to team gold.
Then four years later he won individual gold again — as well as team silver — in Rio.
In doing so he became the third rider to win back-to-back individual Olympic golds, after the Netherlands’ Charles Pahud de Mortanges (in 1928 and 1932 riding Marcroix) and New Zealander Mark Todd (in 1984 and 1988, both on Charisma).
Michael was the event rider with the most Olympic medals to his name competing in Paris. His tally has now increased to five.
‘A day I’ll never forget’
Laura Collett celebrates bronze
Laura set a record-breaking dressage score that earned her an early lead on day one. She then slipped to silver with 0.8 of a penalty for being two seconds over the cross-country optimum time.
London 52 had one showjump down in the first round, before pulling off a textbook clear in the second phase.
“I’m so lucky to be the one that gets to enter an arena like that and come out with a team gold and individual bronze medal at the Olympics, but there are so many people that have contributed,” said Laura.
“I thought Tokyo was special but this has blown it out the water,” she continued, referring to the team gold she won alongside Tom McEwen and Oliver Townend three years ago, also riding London 52 (‘Dan’).
Chris Burton collects the silver
“To ride into a crowd like this and feel like every single person is willing you on and lifting you higher and higher. Dan definitely felt that. I don’t think he’s ever tried so hard.
“This is all him. I’m just the lucky one that has to steer him and make sure I aim him at the right jumps.
“This is a day I will never forget.”
All images by © FEI/Benjamin Clark
Final individual top 10
Gold Germany’s Michael Jung and Chipmunk FRH — 21.8
Silver Australia’s Christopher Burton and Shadow Man — 22.4
Bronze Great Britain’s Laura Collett and London 52 — 23.1
4th Great Britain’s Tom McEwen and JL Dublin — 25.8
5th Japan’s Kazuma Tomoto and Vinci de la Vigne — 27.4
6th New Zealand’s Tim Price and Falco — 28.5
7th Japan’s Yoshi Oiwa and MGH Grafton Street — 30.3
8th Switzerland’s Felix Vogg and Dao de L’Ocean — 30.5
9th The Netherlands’ Janneke Boonzaaijer and Champ de Tailleur — 31.9
10th USA’s Boyd Martin and Fedarman B — 32.1
View the final individual results in full
