Evans stars at toughest Olympics 12 August 2016 Premium

HOME

USE PAPER CODESIGN IN

12 August 2016

Susan Finnerty on 12 Aug 2016

Evans stars at toughest Olympics

Susan Finnerty recounts how the Irish eventing team fared at one of the toughest Olympics in recent years

Susan Finnerty

12 August 2016

From Left to right Silver Nicolas Astier FRA, Gold Michael Jung GER and Philip Dutton USA Bronze. Pic Arnd Bronkhorst

9 August 2016; Gold medalists, from left, Karim Laghouag, Mathieu Lemoine, Astier Nicolas and Thibaut Vallette of France following the Eventing Team Jumping Final at the Olympic Equestrian Centre, Deodoro, during the 2016 Rio Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

9 August 2016; Jonty Evans of Ireland, on Cooley Rorkes Drift, during the Eventing Team Jumping Final at the Olympic Equestrian Centre, Deodoro, during the 2016 Rio Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

9 August 2016; Michael Jung of Germany after winning a gold medal in the Eventing Individual Jumping Final and a silver medal in the Eventing Team event at the Olympic Equestrian Centre, Deodoro, during the 2016 Rio Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

8 August 2016; Clare Abbott of Ireland on Euro Prince in action during the Eventing Team Cross Country at the Olympic Equestrian Centre, Deodoro during the 2016 Rio Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile

Ireland's Clare Abbott talks to the press after the Olympic cross-country phase at Rio 2016 (Photo: Susan Finnerty)

9 August 2016; Clare Abbott of Ireland, on Euro Prince, in action during the Eventing Team Jumping Final at the Olympic Equestrian Centre, Deodoro, during the 2016 Rio Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

4 August 2016; Riders Padraig McCarthy, left, and Mark Kyle during Cross Country dressage training at the Olympic Equestrian Centre in Deodora ahead of the start of the 2016 Rio Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

Ireland's Mark Kyle tries to get the words out after his cross-country experience at Rio 2016 (Photo: Susan Finnerty)

8 August 2016; Padraig McCarthy of Ireland on Simon Porloe in action during the Eventing Team Cross Country at the Olympic Equestrian Centre, Deodoro during the 2016 Rio Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile

8 August 2016; Mark Kyle of Ireland on Jemilla in action during the Eventing Team Cross Country at the Olympic Equestrian Centre, Deodoro during the 2016 Rio Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile

Susan Finnerty

THE Rio 2016 Olympic eventing challenge will go down as a year when records were made. The toughest Olympic cross-country course of the modern era, based on completion statistics compiled by EquiRatings, Deodoro was where the German maestro Michael Jung proved himself, once again, to be the best in the world.