World number one to OS final – the only Swedish one

World number one Henrik von Eckermann and his King Edward are jumping for the individual Olympic Games gold in Versailles. The pair cleared the qualifying round without faults. For Peder Fredricson and Rolf-Göran Bengtsson, the qualifying round ended in fiasco – both miss the Olympic Games final.

» Updated: September 29 2024

» Published: August 05 2024

World number one to OS final – the only Swedish one
Photo: Pontus Lundahl/TT

Share this article

We needed to be better. That's how you think. We remove a few obstacles and then it becomes like this, says national team captain Henrik Ankarcrona.

The Swedish medal hope Henrik von Eckermann – on the merited championship horse King Edward – had no major problems getting over the obstacles.

I was a bit off on one of the lines, but it sorted itself out, he says.

Of course, it's incredibly nice, a feeling you had hoped for, but you never know until you're in goal.

The course was otherwise perhaps on the easier side, according to the world number one.

I think this course was easier than during the first day (the qualification for the team final).

Trusts his gut feeling

Easy or hard, one of the top medal candidates and his horse cleared it. It was all about making it to Tuesday's final – and von Eckermann did.

Now the last round is waiting, and hopefully two rounds, he says.

He surprised by putting shoes on King Edward's front hooves again. After the team qualification, he took them off for the team final.

We'll see how it goes tomorrow. I'm going with my gut feeling.

What do you get with shoes?

The measurements show that the ground becomes a bit harder. There's a Swedish guy (Lars Roepstorff) who has a machine that measures hardness and flexibility, all parameters for the ground. It's done every day here.

Fredricson bombed

Riders are used to getting up early, but the final starts unusually early, already at 10.00.

It's calm. It won't be too hot, but a decent temperature. I'm loaded, says von Eckermann.

Peder Fredricson took individual OS silver in Tokyo three years ago (then on All In), but now misses the final. On Catch Me Not, he got eight faults and it wasn't enough to make it among the 30 best in Tuesday's final.

Rolf-Göran Bengtsson on Zuccero came in with a time of 75.15 and had to wait a long time before it was clear that the team would miss the OS final.

I can't see that they would have done anything differently. Zuccero has never done anything this big. It's a horse to develop and it will surely do fantastic things in the future, says Henrik Ankarcrona.

Bengtsson's only hope for an OS final is that two teams withdraw.

It's not likely, but it can happen, says Ankarcrona.

Tags

Author

TTT
By TTEnglish edition by Sweden Herald, adapted for local and international readers

More news

Jonas Jerebko Calls European Championship Rejection Disrespectful
3 MIN READ

Jonas Jerebko Calls European Championship Rejection Disrespectful

Colombia Secures World Championship Spot with James Rodriguez's Goal
1 MIN READ

Colombia Secures World Championship Spot with James Rodriguez's Goal

Messi Scores Twice in Emotional Farewell Match in Argentina
2 MIN READ

Messi Scores Twice in Emotional Farewell Match in Argentina

Amanda Anisimova Reaches US Open Final After Overcoming Burnout
2 MIN READ

Amanda Anisimova Reaches US Open Final After Overcoming Burnout

Independiente Disqualified from South American Cup After Chaotic Match
2 MIN READ

Independiente Disqualified from South American Cup After Chaotic Match

Spain Exits Early from European Basketball Championship
1 MIN READ

Spain Exits Early from European Basketball Championship

Björn Borg on Prostate Cancer Battle and Recovery Journey
2 MIN READ

Björn Borg on Prostate Cancer Battle and Recovery Journey

Germany Suffers First Away World Championship Qualifying Loss in 91 Years
1 MIN READ

Germany Suffers First Away World Championship Qualifying Loss in 91 Years

Bäckström Records Assist in Brynäs' CHL Victory Over Klagenfurt
1 MIN READ

Bäckström Records Assist in Brynäs' CHL Victory Over Klagenfurt

Sweden Faces Intense World Championship Qualification Challenge
3 MIN READ

Sweden Faces Intense World Championship Qualification Challenge

Norwegian Striker Cathinka Tandberg Departs Hammarby
1 MIN READ

Norwegian Striker Cathinka Tandberg Departs Hammarby

Swedish Junior Lea Nilsson Advances to US Open Semifinal
1 MIN READ

Swedish Junior Lea Nilsson Advances to US Open Semifinal

Melina Andersson Wins Silver in Canoe Marathon World Championship
1 MIN READ

Melina Andersson Wins Silver in Canoe Marathon World Championship

Liverpool Signs Beata Olsson from Kristianstad in Record Transfer
1 MIN READ

Liverpool Signs Beata Olsson from Kristianstad in Record Transfer

Frölunda and Färjestad Set for Exciting Women's Hockey Rivalry
3 MIN READ

Frölunda and Färjestad Set for Exciting Women's Hockey Rivalry

Slovenia vs Sweden: World Cup Qualifier Match Preview
3 MIN READ

Slovenia vs Sweden: World Cup Qualifier Match Preview

Louise Etzner Jakobsson Wins First European Championship Gold
1 MIN READ

Louise Etzner Jakobsson Wins First European Championship Gold

French Women's Boxing Team Misses World Championship Due to Late Gender Test
2 MIN READ

French Women's Boxing Team Misses World Championship Due to Late Gender Test

Roberth Björknesjö Named New Head Coach of Allsvenska Öster
1 MIN READ

Roberth Björknesjö Named New Head Coach of Allsvenska Öster

Jon Dahl Tomasson Tasked with Leading Sweden to World Championship
3 MIN READ

Jon Dahl Tomasson Tasked with Leading Sweden to World Championship