Canada’s Olympic team hopes now rest with jumpers
Canada volition live on looking for a modify inwards luck afterward this calendar week when its showjumpers accept to the Olympic arena at Greenwich.
The province has had peradventure the almost unfortunate Olympic games of whatever squad therefore far at London 2012, amongst injuries in addition to eliminations inwards its eventing in addition to dressage teams set paid to medal hopes.
Having won the squad jumping silvery at the 2008 Beijing Games, Canada volition i time once again live on looking to convey habitation the hardware from London.
Competing on Th during a heavy downpour of rain, dressage passenger David Marcus, 31, was mid-way through his examination when his mount, Capital, spooked in addition to went off course. Marcus was non able to find his horse’s attending inside the 10 seconds allowed, in addition to was eliminated from contest yesteryear the caput of the dry soil jury, Stephen Clarke of Great Britain.
“He was trying therefore difficult inwards the kickoff one-half of the examination but, at that moment, something triggered him,” said Marcus of Capital, a 12-year-old Danish Warmblood owned yesteryear Deborah Miculinic.
“I don’t blame him at all. It is merely an unfortunate circumstance, in addition to it is unfortunate that it was hither at the Olympics. I experience terrible for Canada, for my team, in addition to for everyone who has been therefore supportive of me. This is life amongst horses, in addition to nosotros tin set it all inwards perspective yesteryear knowing that both Capital in addition to I are going habitation healthy. He is going to stimulate got a long career ahead of him.”
Earlier inwards the week, entirely 2 of Canada’s five-strong eventing squad completed the cross-country, amongst leading passenger Hawley Bennett-Awad taken to infirmary after a nasty fall.
But the country’s jumpers were inwards flight cast on Th morn in addition to looking forwards to defending their private golden in addition to squad silvery medals won at the Beijing Games inwards Hong Kong.
Ten-time Olympian Ian Millar reflected on the changes inwards the sport since he competed at his kickoff Olympic Games at Munich inwards Germany.
Competing inwards his tenth Olympic Games, Millar, 65, of Perth, ONntario, is setting a globe tape inwards London amongst the almost Olympic appearances yesteryear whatever athlete inwards whatever sport.
“The whole matter is such an interesting journey,” said Millar, who made his Olympic debut inwards 1972 riding Shoeman at the Munich Olympics, marred yesteryear what is directly referred to every bit the ‘Munich massacre’. “What I detect the almost is the development of the sport. It is non at all what it was inwards the 1970s.
“We stimulate got dissimilar type of horses in addition to the mode of riding has evolved every bit good every bit the courses, the ground textile – everything – therefore it’s been an interesting challenge for me to remain amongst all that change. I’ve enjoyed the challenge of changing amongst it though in addition to I piece of occupation amongst my boy in addition to missy in addition to they hold me immature – every bit does this annoying team!” he added, nodding at defending private Olympic champion Eric Lamaze, Tiffany Foster in addition to Yann Candele.
Lamaze, 44, enters the London Olympics every bit the defending champion. In 2008, he claimed the private golden medal inwards a dramatic jump-off against Rolf-Goran Bengtsson of Sweden. Lamaze in addition to therefore suffered an incredible loss that stunned the sporting globe when his Olympic partner, Hickstead, collapsed in addition to died of an aortic rupture during a globe loving cup qualifying outcome inwards Verona, Italy, on Nov 6, 2011.
“With the tragedy that happened, I don’t experience similar I am coming to London to defend my title,” said Lamaze, who is competing inwards his 2nd Olympic Games. “If I notwithstanding had Hickstead, I experience that he would stimulate got been inwards skillful shape in addition to nosotros would stimulate got had a skillful run a jeopardy to defend.
Lamaze said his horse, Derly Chin de Muze, a nine-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare, lacked experience, “but has character in addition to is careful. We hold back a prissy friendly start out to the Games, nosotros stimulate got a few rounds to acquire going in addition to yesteryear in addition to therefore I promise she’ll live on at her best. She’s lacking a niggling mileage but I intend she’s ready,” he said.
Of the Canadian team’s chances, Lamaze said, “The squad is real strong. Any fourth dimension you lot stimulate got Ian on the team, it’s a peachy team. Jill was operate of our squad inwards Beijing in addition to you lot tin ever count on her. Tiffany in addition to Yann are both on skillful immature horses, but I would enjoin that every squad hither has a younger passenger or horse. I am happy to live on here, in addition to to live on a operate of this team.”
Millar was asked how he idea his legendary horse, Big Ben, would produce out amongst the sport today. “One of his greatest characteristics was learning how to adapt,” he said.
“People said at kickoff he was merely a big, potent Championship Equus caballus but also ho-hum for anything else in addition to no skillful indoors, but he won 2 back-to-back World Cup titles in addition to I would intend he could stimulate got learned to conform to the challenges of the sport,” he said.
Lamaze’s 2008 Olympic champion horse, Hickstead, died of a precipitous in conclusion year. “It was a real lamentable day, a tragedy, in addition to at that spot was a lot of emotion afterwards,” lamaze said.
“It takes fourth dimension to acquire through the difficult fourth dimension but I made the conclusion to behave on in addition to acquire a few novel horses. I was overwhelmed yesteryear the publish of letters, notes, pictures in addition to drawings sent to me after Hickstead’s death. Back inwards Florida I hold a large body total of books in addition to papers signed yesteryear people who retrieve him. I was overwhelmed yesteryear the total of affection from therefore many people.”
Asked to compare Hickstead amongst Big Ben, Millar said inwards tribute, “they both had the almost of import things – willingness, powerfulness to learn, they stayed physically strong, they were skillful inwards kernel in addition to mind, in addition to both had an innate feeling for when the minute was of import in addition to rose to the occasion.”
On a lighter note, when asked how it felt to over-take Austria’s Hubert Raudaschl who, until directly has held the tape for almost Olympic appearances, Millar seemed to intend he had the edge, replying amongst a large smile, “oh yeah, the yachtsman, good I intend that’s a lot easier than sitting on our furry friends to live on honest – it’s a fleck similar apples in addition to oranges!”
And inwards iv years the globe mightiness meet Millar, directly 65, at Rio inwards 2016. “It depends on the horse. This whole chore is to a greater extent than fun in addition to rewarding when you’re riding a skillful horse. Star Power is eleven directly in addition to volition live on xiv inwards iv years fourth dimension therefore it’s notwithstanding inside reach. If he’s willing, I’m willing!”
The showjumping contest opens amongst the kickoff squad in addition to private qualifier on Saturday, August 4, in addition to continues on Lord's Day in addition to Monday, August 5 in addition to 6, after which squad medals volition live on awarded. The move yesteryear 35 athletes from the master copy starting plain of 75 in addition to therefore advance to the two-round private concluding on Wednesday, August 8.
Belum ada Komentar untuk "Canada’s Olympic team hopes now rest with jumpers"
Posting Komentar