He has one medal for sure, now Steve Guerdat is riding for gold. The rider from Jura qualifies for the jump-off with three pairs in the Olympic individual competition after a clear round.
06.08.2024, 11:40
06.08.2024, 12:05
SDA
Guerdat, who had already gone clear in the qualifier the day before, once again put in a confident performance in a difficult course in the park of the Palace of Versailles, which placed higher demands on horse and rider than almost ever before in a championship.
The rivals of Guerdat, who can become Olympic champion for the second time twelve years after his triumph at the London Games, are the German Christian Kukuk with the gelding Checker and the Dutchman Maikel van der Vleuten in the saddle of the gelding Beauville, who remained unblemished.
Only three out of 30 finalists in the decision - the verdict reflects the difficult task that the normal course presented to horse and rider in the park of the Palace of Versailles.
Martin Fuchs, who had also remained clear in the preliminary competition on Monday with the grey gelding Leone Jei, was also on the verge of securing a place in the jump-off. However, the rider from Zurich failed at the last obstacle. Fuchs' performance is all the more remarkable as he slipped out of the stirrup with his left foot shortly after starting his ride - and was unable to correct the mishap.
