Main image: Chris Burton and Shadow Man. Image by Michelle Terlato Photography.
Inside Paris | Presented by International Horse Breeders
What a way to finish the Eventing competition at the Paris Olympic Games. Chris Burton has won an individual silver medal, finishing on a score of 22.4 with Shadow Man, and Australia couldn’t be prouder.
But first, we must congratulate Germany’s Michael Jung on winning his third Olympic individual eventing gold medal.
It is past midnight (AEST), Monday 29 July. In the tense individual final where just a single fence separated the top four, Michael Jung from Germany and Chipmunk FRH have just jumped the most magnificent clear round in the show jumping jump off for the individual medals.
Michael Jung makes history in being the very first person ever to win three individual Eventing Olympic gold medals. His first individual Eventing gold medal was in 2012 at the London Olympics riding La Biosthetique Sam FBW. Michael won his second Eventing individual gold medal in 2016 at the Rio de Janeiro Olympic games, again riding La Biosthetique Sam FBW – and now Michael Jung has just won his third Olympic individual Eventing gold medal at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games riding Chipmunk FRH. Michael Jung’s performance was just magnificence and the 16-year-old Chipmunk FRH looked like a king.
Michael Jung and Chipmunk FRH came second in the dressage with a score of 17.8 penalties. Chipmunk FRH and Michael went clear cross country with no jumping penalties and no time penalties. He was one of only 10 outstanding combinations to produce this clear cross country result. Michael and Chipmunk FRH had one rail down in the team show jumping competition but produced a magnificent clear round in the individual show jumping competition. Michael Jung and Chipmunk FRH finished up on a score of 21.8 penalties. Absolutely amazing.
Michael Jung of Germany claimed the individual gold medal with Chipmunk FRH. Image by FEI/Benjamin Clark.
Individual silver for Australia!
The individual silver medal was won by Chris Burton from good old Australia riding the fabulous Shadow Man. Chris and Shadow Man scored 22 penalties in the dressage competition to tie for third place with the Chinese rider Alex Hua Tian riding Jilsonne van Bareelhof. Like Michael Jung, Chris was one of ten riders who finished the cross country without any jump penalties or time penalties. In the team show jumping round, Chris and Shadow Man incurred 0.4 penalties for being 2 seconds over the time. In the individual show jumping competition, Chris and Shadow Man completed the round like Michael Jung and Chipmunk FRH with no jumping penalties and no time penalties. The round was legendary; they finished on 22.4.
The individual bronze medal went to the British rider, Laura Collett and London 52, with a total score of 23.1 penalties. This whole competition was just so, so close. Laura Collett and London 52 led the dressage on the first day, Saturday 27July 2024, with a score of 17.5 penalties. This is an Olympic record.
There were 1.3 penalties between the gold medallist and the bronze medallist. It doesn’t get any closer than that. The competition was a privilege to watch.
Chris Burton and Shadow Man were clear in the second round of jumping to claim individual silver. Image by Michelle Terlato Photography.
The Eventing team podium. Image by Michelle Terlato Photography.
Gold for the British team
At the risk of repeating results in my post ‘Hang on, hang on! We are not done yet…’, Great Britain posted a record-breaking fifth Olympic Eventing team victory, and their second in a row, when Laura Collett (London 52), Tom McEwen (JL Dublin) and Rosalind Canter (Lordships Graffalo) grabbed gold.
With a total combined score of 91.30 after the final Jumping phase, they pinned the hosts from France into silver medal spot. And more history was made when Japan made it on to the podium for the very first time when clinching bronze.
Here is a link for the final team placings (select ‘Team’).
Cheers
Heath
