Anky Van Grunsven wins gold again in dressage

Anky van Grunsven of The Netherlands held off a familiar foe on Tuesday to win her third straight gold medal in Olympic equestrian individual dressage.

Anky van Grunsven of The Netherlands held off a familiar foe on Tuesday to win her third straight gold medal in Olympic equestrian individual dressage.

Van Grunsven scored 82.4 percent in the Grand Prix Freestyle on Salinero, also her partner in 2004 in Athens. That score, combined with her total in the Grand Prix Special test on Saturday, gave her a final average of 78.68 percent.

Germany’s Isabell Werth finished with a final average of 76.65 percent for silver.

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Either Werth or van Grunsven have held the top spot on the podium for more than a decade. Werth won gold and van Grunsven silver in 1996, and they reversed in 2000. Van Grunsven also won gold in 2004.

“It is three in a row,” van Grunsven said. “I never believed this could happen. I am shocked. I don’t think I will ever come back again. I am happy with the three gold medals I have won.”

Werth led on Saturday, but her freestyle score of 78.1 percent on Satchmo fell short. Satchmo suddenly backed up during a piaffe (trot in place) movement, as he had in Saturday night’s test, but this time the error was more costly.

In the freestyle, riders perform grand prix dressage movements choreographed to music of their choice.

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“The same thing happened in the Special and he didn’t forget it today,” Werth said. “I can’t explain why it happened. I just couldn’t give him confidence. It’s a shame because it was the best freestyle he’s done.”

Last week, Werth led the Germans to team gold in dressage, while the Dutch won silver and Denmark bronze.

Germany teammate Heike Kemmer earned 75.95 percent for her freestyle on Bonaparte, winning bronze with a final average of 74.455 percent.

“He was really working for me,” Kemmer said. “I’m really proud of my horse.”

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American rider Steffen Peters nearly overtook her with a freestyle score of 76.5 percent on Ravel but couldn’t quite catch up, finishing fourth with a final average of 74.150 percent.

“He had tension in the start and that was the difference,” Peters said. “Fourth in the Olympics is not so bad. It’s not quite enough but awfully close.”

Courtney King of the U.S. finished 13th overall after earning 69.55 percent in the freestyle on Mythilus.

“I went after more difficulty and made mistakes, but I was really happy with my horse,” King said.

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The equestrian events are being held in Hong Kong instead of Beijing due to quarantine restrictions on mainland China.