Great Britain’s Sophie Christiansen once again reigns supreme in the Grade Ia Para Dressage competition in the Hippodrome at La Prairie racecourse in Caen.
Sophie had an unexpected result in the Team Test on Tuesday, coming third, but pulled it out of the bag today to take the gold once more with a score of 77.565%, “I needed that to happen on Tuesday to give me the kick I needed to pull my game up,” Sophie said, “today I was not going to let anything distract me, I know I couldn’t have done any more in the test.”
Being drawn seventh to go out of 23 competitors left Sophie waiting until the final riders to go before she could be confident in her winning score.
She is now in the running to win the Triple Crown – Three gold medals at the Paralympics, Europeans and World Equestrian Games consecutively in one current Olympic four year cycle.
Overnight leader, Italian Sarah Morganti eventually finished second to take the silver medal with a score of 76.478% riding Royal Delight, who clearly did delight the judges once more today.
“The test was good but I must say that we could do better as I thought she was a little behind me.” she said after her test, “but tomorrow we will see what happens, I will enjoy myself for sure.”
Sarah exceeded even her own medal expectations and was clearly delighted with the medal around her neck, “What can I say? It’s just incredible!”
she said, “I will confess that I hoped for a bronze medal, that was my dream, I did more than that and it is just really wonderful.”
The bronze medal went to the rider first to go into the arena this afternoon, Singapore’s Laurentia Tan riding Ruben James 2.
Leading from the start, Tan had a short lived chance of the gold medal when she was overtaken by Christiansen six tests later and then, as the fourth last rider to go, Morganti overtook her for the silver.
But Tan was still elated with her position. “It feels fantastic,” she said, “I did hope for better but the scores were very good, so I am very happy.”
Individual Championship Test Scores
- Sophie Christiansen (GBR) – 77.565%
- Sarah Morganti (ITA) – 76.478%
- Laurentia Tan (SIN) – 75.087%
For the full Grade Ia Individual Championship Test results: http://tinyurl.com/opg576n
© PSV Photos
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