Silver medalist Steve Guerdat of Switzerland, gold medalist Christian Kukuk of Germany and bronze medalist Maikel Van Der Vleuten of Team Netherlands take part in the medal ceremony for the Jumping Individual Final. GETTY IMAGES

Germany, Switzerland, and the Netherlands claimed the podium, which was widely dominated by athletes from the old continent. Christian Kukuk, a veteran German rider, won the gold medal with a perfect final round on his horse, Checker 47.

The German equestrian team is in high spirits. The athlete from Wadendorf secured the coveted gold in the Paris Games. The German rider made no mistakes in the final and was one of the three riders who advanced to the jump-off. He defeated Swiss rider Steve Guerdat and his horse Dynamix de Belheme, as well as Dutchman Maikel van der Vleuten and his horse, Beauville Z.

It is noteworthy that Kukuk's feat during the final, in the equestrian discipline held at the majestic Château de Versailles, adds to the German equestrian team's success, which had already won four medals, three of them gold.



Kukuk's victory is undeniably a significant achievement for Germany. In individual jumping, the European giant had not been Olympic champion since 2004, so Kukuk and his beloved Checker ended a two-decade drought.

In Germany's neighboring countries, there were also celebrations. Swiss rider Steve Guerdat saw his country celebrate its third medal. The 42-year-old veteran rider won bronze in 2008, followed by gold in 2012, and now takes silver, a dozen years after the London Games.



The winning trio was completed by another Central European, Maikel van der Vleuten, who also secured his third medal by winning bronze in Versailles with his horse Beauville Z. The gold medal still eludes the Dutchman, who previously won another bronze in 2020 and a team silver in 2012.

Van der Vleuten began his final jump-off, but knocked down a rail in the tiebreaker. While he was already assured of a medal before finishing, he had to face the reality that gold slipped from his grasp due to that small mistake.



During the final jump-off, nerves were high. Kukuk managed to triumph. He was the only one to clear the course again in the jump-off, earning his well-deserved gold medal. On the other hand, Guerdat and Van der Vleuten, with their small mistakes, fell to the silver and bronze positions, with the Swiss rider in second place due to his faster time.

Thus, without many surprises but with tension in the decisive moments, Paris 2024 concluded the equestrian discipline with the individual jumping final. Now we must wait another four years to see which talents will win new medals in obstacle jumping in Los Angeles 2028.