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International Jumping Riders Club
IMAGES AND QUOTES FROM DAY 4 IN PARIS: JUMPING INDIVIDUAL FINAL
The new reigning Olympic Champion, Germany’s Christian Kukuk was the only athlete who jumped double-clear performance at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris with the amazing 14-year-old gelding Checker 47. He commented:
“This is the most emotional day in my life! This is the highest you can achieve in our sport, I'm one of only a few ones calling myself Olympic champion - Olympic gold medallist - this is something that will last forever!
In the next days there probably is also a lot coming up for me, but in this moment I'm just really, really proud and happy for my horse, my family, my staff, my groom, my whole team. I know that this is very lucky, and I really will enjoy this day!”
Switzerland’s Guerdat jumped the third clear of the day with his individual European Championship winning mare, Dynamix de Belheme. The pair claimed silver, stopping the clock at 38.38 seconds, with only one fence down in the demanding and big jump-off.
We all aim for gold but to have to the second one (silver) is also very special! My mare has been spectacular today and of course I’m upset about my jump-off, it wasn’t what I wanted, but I want to focus with pride about our second Olympic medal!” Steve Guerdat said.
Jump-offs are still our weakness with Dynamix, for the last year I’m trying to train that as much as possible but you don’t get too many tries. Today I was kind of confident because it was doable, the time wasn’t crazy, but it was a mess, my jump-off wasn’t good enough, but I really don’t mind. I’ll have enough time to think about it in the future, but right now I just want to enjoy the medal I have won - not the one I have lost!" Guerdat added.
I’m going to enjoy this because I have a few regrets after London (where he won gold). I feel I didn’t enjoy it enough, running from show to show, when I look back, I think this medal is so hard to have but now I have the chance to get another one. I have an amazing family, especially my wife and my daughter, so I’m definitely going to spend more time in the coming months with them”, Steve said.
The Dutchman’s Maikel van der Vleuten won his second consecutive bronze with his incredibly consistent horse Beauville Z. He talked about the challenge horses and riders faced today:
When I walked the course I thought I haven’t seen anything like it, so tough in every way, it was big, the jumps were difficult, it was technical, the time-allowed (84 seconds) was ok, it was very long with 15 fences including a triple combination and two doubles so it was hard for the horses. When I came through the finish I thought the way my horse did this round was unbelievable, it’s a world-class horse and he deserved this medal today”.
The reigning Olympic Champion Christian Kukuk was of the same opinion:
It’s the toughest course I have ever jumped, the toughest course I have ever seen and Checker made it feel like just another Grand Prix! I also I knew what my horse is able to do and what I'm able to do. We won already two Grand Prix this year, so we are very competitive. I tried to find the balance, to not overdo it and to not take the last risk. But still I was that quick that I knew the other two would have to take some risk here and there and then they might have one down. That happened to both of them. They had to try and they had one down. So, I was the only double clear and it makes me very proud!”
“This was a very wonderful day”, the new champion concluded!
Quotes and photos extracted from FEI Press Release.