Sweden claimed Jumping Team gold at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Baji Koen Equestrian Park where, in a thrilling jump-off against the clock, Henrik von Eckermann (King Edward), Malin Baryard-Johnsson (Indiana) and Peder Fredricson (All In) reigned supreme. But Team USA chased them all the way to the line, with tremendous performances from Laura Kraut (Baloutine), Jessica Springsteen (Don Juan van de Donkhoeve) and McLain Ward (Contagious).
This was Sweden’s fourth victory in the history of Jumping at the Olympic Games, but this latest win has been a long time coming. They took the team title three times in a row when Jumping was first introduced to the Games, on home ground in Stockholm in 1912, again in Antwerp, Belgium in 1920 and in Paris, France in 1924. But gold has eluded them ever since.
They were in exceptional form all week in Tokyo, and coming into tonight’s Final not one of their horses had lowered a fence. But with single errors from Baryard-Johnsson and Fredricson this evening they found themselves tied on a score of eight faults with the Americans after the first round and it came down to the final riders to clinch it.
America’s Ward piled on the pressure but Fredricson, who took Individual silver on Wednesday night, produced an heroic round with the great All In to clinch it.
Belgium’s Pieter Devos (Claire Z), Jerome Guery (Quel Homme de Hus) and Gregory Wathelet (Nevados S) were already confirmed for bronze before the jump-off began, having completed the first round on a total of 12 faults.
Team GB made the sensible decision to withdraw Ben Maher and Explosion after Great Britain collected 24 penalties leaving them in 9th position following Holly Smith and Harry Charles's rounds.
Ben Maher
"We started well enough yesterday" said Ben "it's a new format and it was bout getting here today. The guys did a good job yesterday, they gave me a margin that meant I didn't have to put Explosion under too much pressure - I could afford to have a mistake and got in comfortably."
"But it was always going to be a different day and we knew it was going to be tough, it's a big course and a lot of combinations are making mistakes. Holly and Harry are young riders, they've ridden incredibly tonight but unfortunately it hasn't gone our was as a team"
Harry Charles
"He's a great horse, a proper fighter, but has just got a bit out of puff. I think if it was day two or three, we would have been clear - he couldn't have done much more for me today and I'm delighted with how he did." said Harry.
Holly Smith
"He got quite strong, that's normal for him, but with the technicality of the course it made it harder - we're at the Olympic Games. It's either five or six coming to the last double - I wen five, which was always the plan - whether that was right or now we'll never know," said Holly.
And that's a wrap on Tokyo 2020!
