Bronze for Maikel van der Vleuten and Beauville Z N.O.P. (v. Bustique) in the Olympic final of the show jumping riders. What a great performance and a repeat of Tokyo, three years ago. Maikel was already certain of a medal before the jump-off. In that, the German Christian Kukuk was clear with Checker and won the gold. The Swiss Steve Guerdat won Olympic silver with Dynamix de Belheme after the European title. Just like Maikel a Beauville, they had a jumping fault in the jump-off, but were just a little bit faster. But what a great performance by Maikel. The bronze medal is the icing on the cake for the equestrian athletes of TeamNL in Versailles after the fourth places of Dinja van Liere in the final and in the team competitions dressage and jumping.
“I knew I had a medal after the first round. That gives a good feeling. I knew I had nothing to lose. I tried to take risks in the jump-off. Christian Kukuk was fast. So there was nothing else to do but take risks. Unfortunately, that was a jumping error today. I am very proud of this bronze medal”, Maikel says immediately afterwards.
Incredibly proud
“I still have to start to realize it. It’s unbelievable. That’s the main thing. When you’re so close, you hope for a different color. I saw Christian Kukuk, the first starter, on the screen. I wanted to make one less gallop jump between fences 1 and 2. That didn’t work. Then I thought, I have to take the risk. With a forward distance I rode the double. Beauville just didn’t reach the height. That’s sour. You shouldn’t underestimate that Beauville already had five rounds in his legs. I was able to ride well to the finish. I’m incredibly proud of this medal.”
Fantastic championship
“Kim Emmen and Harrie Smolders also had a fantastic championship. It would have been great if we had all come home with a medal. Unfortunately, that was not to be. It was a fantastic sporting event. The whole experience we had here, then this bronze medal is the reward for a fantastic week. TeamNL came close in the equestrian sport with three fourth places. It is great that we now have a medal.
Reward
“I won bronze three times in a row. That is a huge confirmation and reward. If you can do that three years in a row, it is a fantastic feeling,” Maikel refers to the bronze in Tokyo and two years ago at the World Championships in Herning, where he was also part of the silver team of successful coach Jos Lansink. In addition, Beauville Z is the third horse in history with which two individual Olympic medals have been won.
Lansink praises his riders
“Maikel made it all right for everyone,” says national coach Jos Lansink in Versailles. “In the Nations Cup, the penny just fell the wrong way. While the riders rode fantastically and the horses jumped very well. Fantastic to take that bronze medal home. Kim Emmen had a fantastic championship. The first Olympiad for rider and horse. Their first tough championship. You could see that a bit on the last day. Imagine was a bit tired on the last day, but did a great job. Uricas from Harrie Smolders jumped fantastically every day. They had an unlucky fault on obstacle 5a. If they hadn’t had that fault, they wouldn’t have had a time fault either.”
Mans
Lansink doesn’t just praise his riders: “The course designer Santiago Varela deserves a gold medal too. If you can get three combinations in the final in the jump-off on this field, then you’re a man.”
Stable combination
Van der Vleuten also has nothing but praise. “Maikel and Beaville Z NOP are a very stable combination. That is why we made a very good plan at the beginning of the year, that Beauville would not do too much. They were in top form here. Before the jump-off we said to Maikel: enjoy it. You have nothing to lose. Maikel rode super. Luck has to be on your side a bit.”
Good format
“The final was also a good format. Thirty riders with a jump-off. The fastest and best won. Perfect like that. That is easy to follow for everyone, even for laymen. We have to be satisfied with this bronze medal”, concludes Lansink.
Source: KNHS
