The final on Sunday will take place without the German pentathletes. As at the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo, Annika Zillekens has problems with her horse – although this time they are not getting out of hand.
Pentathlete Annika Zillekens experienced disappointment on her return to the Olympic Games despite a late comeback. The 34-year-old, who made headlines in Tokyo due to a drama in horse riding, finished tenth in her qualifying group after show jumping, fencing, swimming and laser run and narrowly missed the final of the best 18.
{
“placeholderType”: “MREC”
}
In Tokyo, Zillekens competed under her maiden name Annika Schleu and became notorious for hitting her refusing horse with a whip on the orders of the national trainer. It was one of the scandals of the Games. It sparked a debate about the future of the discipline, which resulted in show jumping actually being removed from the pentathlon program. It will be held for the last time in Paris, and an obstacle discipline will replace the equestrian sport.
In Paris, things didn’t go well in the riding. With the horse “Arezzo de Riverland” that had been assigned to her, she almost fell in the semi-finals, and the animal subsequently refused to do an obstacle. Although the athlete handled the refusal much more confidently than three years ago, due to the point deductions, she was still two points short of advancing after the Laser Run.
Zillekens had won 17 of her 35 fights at the start. She did not collect any points in the bonus fencing. After the swim (2:18.88 minutes) she was within striking distance of the required ninth place, but was unable to achieve this despite a strong performance in the Laser Run – Zillekens came second in the group in the discipline (11:11.93 minutes).
{
“placeholderType”: “MREC”
}
“I can’t blame the horse and I’m glad that we finished together like that,” said Zillekens, commenting on her elimination. “It was of course really annoying. I would have liked to have reached a final in my very last competition. I had what it takes, but I have to live with it. It’s not the happy ending I wanted. Unfortunately, it’s not a Hollywood film. But it’s my story and I can live with it.”
“I think it’s a real shame. I would have been so happy for her to get another chance and make it to the final. Then she could have ridden again and shown how good she is,” said national coach Kim Raisner.
Horse drama also at Langrehr
The second German starter, Rebecca Langrehr, fared even worse. She had to abandon her hopes of reaching the final even earlier.
She fell during the warm-up before her competition, but was given the go-ahead to ride by the doctors. However, the vet did not give her horse, Epervier des Brulins, permission to compete. A protest by Raisner was rejected. Langrehr was thus left without any points in the riding.
{
“placeholderType”: “MREC”
}
On Saturday afternoon (from 5.30 p.m.) Fabian Liebig and Marvin Dogue will fight for a top placement in the men’s final.
With Sports Information Service (SID)
