The Nogentais rider Karim Laghouag has had another great Olympic summer. Five years after the entire team gold medal at the Rio Games, the Eurélien has, this time, brought back bronze from Japan. But a bronze, far from being bitter. On the contrary. A third place which is almost worth gold for the native of Roubaix (46 years old) who, at the start, was not predestined to see the Land of the Rising Sun.
Second reservist during the selection
When on July 2, the coach of the Blues Thierry Touzaint announced the four riders selected for the Tokyo Olympics, Karim Laghouag was not there. He is even a second reservist. In the same place as in 2016. Except that in Brazil, they were four holders plus a replacement. However, the Nogentais had high hopes of seeing Japan after the sudden withdrawal of Astier Nicolas, following the injury of his horse.
His reaction to the return from Tokyo
But a week later, another clap of thunder: Thibaut Vallette, who was part of the golden delegation in Rio, declared, in turn, forfeit, his horse Qing de Briot being the victim of a bone contusion in the foot. The game of musical chairs allowed the Nogentais to regain a place of first reserve and to fly to Tokyo, with his 13-year-old gelding Triton Fontaine. Karim Laghouag thus became the last survivor of the golden team of 2016 * to participate in his second Games in a row. “Well, what a lot of emotions in a week! We will try to do justice to the selection ”, exclaimed Laghouag, having a big thought for the unfortunate Thibaut Vallette.
Ninth after training
Happy to be in the list for Japan, Laghouag did not become a potential holder for July 30, the date of the start of the Olympic competition. Toulousain Thomas Carlile, who won the Vittel competition in June, the last of the three test events, was on the coach’s start-list, as were the Parisian Christopher Six (3rd in the Vosges) and the Angevin Nicolas Touzaint ( 4th). Laghouag had to be content with an 11th place in the spa town, after a 5th in Pompadour (Corrèze) in April and an 8th in Saumur (Maine-et-Loire) in May.
Karim Laghouag (right, alongside Christopher Six and Nicolas Touzaint) at the Trocadero, in Paris.
But the surprises were not over. Three days from entering the track in Tokyo, a new Blue gave up, and not just anyone, Thomas Carlile, his Burmese mare suffering from a muscle problem. Suddenly, Laghouag found himself on the front line. In the space of a month, the Percheron had gone from being a third substitute (n ° 6) to that of holder (n ° 3).
“It’s amazing what happened … It’s a crazy thing!” “
The fact remains that on the eve of the eventing event, France, defending champion but deprived of its main executives, was starting from far away for a medal. It was even more true after the dressage (9th place), first of the three events. But the cross was going to completely redistribute the cards, the Tricolores rising on the podium (3rd) thanks in particular to a clear round from Laghouag and his horse Triton Fontaine. There was still show jumping. And at the end of an unbearable suspense, the French managed to keep their third place, far behind the English, but ending with a breath of the silver medal, snatched by the Australians.
“It is Walt Disney what I am going through”, declared the rider from Nogent-le-Rotrou in the heat. Then, later, back to Paris, but barely descended from his cloud: “It’s incredible what happened (referring to the three packages). It’s a crazy thing ! “
* He teamed up in Rio with Astier Nicolas, Thibaut Vallette and Mathieu Lemoine. Nicolas Touzaint, selected for Tokyo, was present in Brazil but as a replacement.
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