|
|
Thursday, September 28
Germany barely wins gold medal
Associated Press
SYDNEY, Australia -- Germany pulled off a narrow victory
over Switzerland on Thursday in the Olympic team show jumping event,
15 faults to 16. The United States finished sixth.
The bronze was decided by a jump-off, with Brazil beating out
France after they each finished the first two rounds with 24
faults.
Otto Becker put in the two clear rounds on Cento that the
Germans needed to repeat the gold-medal performance they also
displayed in Atlanta.
"It was fantastic," said Becker. "After two clear rounds,
there is no more to say but fantastic."
With its sixth-place finish, the United States' streak ended at
three medals in three events.
Margie Goldstein Engle, of Wellington, Fla., jumped clean in the
morning on Perin, but had 8 faults in the afternoon.
"I thought we were already out of it," she said. "I was just
trying for another clear to move the team up."
Each team's four riders all rode twice, in the morning and
afternoon. The lowest score per session was dropped for the team
score.
Laura Kraut, of Oconomowoc, Wis., had one rail down riding
Liberty in the morning for 4 faults and 8 more faults in the
afternoon. Clasiko and Lauren Hough, of Ocala, Fla., added 8 faults
in both sessions.
Rhythmical, ridden by Nona Garson, of Lebanon, N.J., was still
tense from the fall he had in a qualifying round on Monday, scoring
16 faults in the morning and 20 in the afternoon for the U.S. drop
score in each session.
The individual show jumping event will be held Sunday, with
individual dressage being contested for the next two days before
then.
|  | |
|
