Britain’s Jake Saywell was part of the gold-medal winning team at the Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, China (20 August).
Borrowed horses
Jake was on the European Showjumping team, jumping alongside Michael Duffy (Ireland), Matias Alvaro (Italy), Filip Agren (Sweden) and Lisa Nooren (The Netherlands).
The European team put in an impressive performance to produce three double clears. This saw them finished on a total score of zero penalties to retain their 2010 title.
All teams competed on borrowed horses, which were provided by the organisers and allocated by lot. The riders then had just a few days to get to know their mounts prior to the competition.
‘Very naughty’
Jake, from Nottinghamshire, was given a seven-year-old called Galaxy. According to team leader Corinne Bracken ‘Leo’ was ‘very naughty’ at the beginning of the week, putting Jake on the floor twice.
However, the 18-year-old managed to coax the best out of the inexperienced jumper, who went on to have two down in the first round of the team event and one in the second.
“It was a lot better second time around, the horse jumped super actually,” said Jake who is on the World Class Development Programme. “We were a little bit unlucky at the last fence, he just tired a bit and he is a big horse and it is quite humid.”
“Just to be here is a great honour and makes me feel very privileged but to get a medal is fantastic. Winning the gold is exceptional.”
Close behind Europe on four faults was South America who won silver, while North America took the bronze.
Class rider
In the individual Jake had one down in the first round and two fences second time out, to finish joint 10th. According to Corinne this was a “remarkable result”.
“To be honest with the individual final we had set our target as a top 12 finish,” she said. “Leo lacked experience and ride ability at the beginning of the week and although he was getting better and better this course would be a tall order.
“Jake once again showed his class as a rider, never losing his focus on what he was in there to do.”
Ireland’s Michael Duffy with Commander went clear in the first round, and then had four faults in the second.
It was New Zealand’s Emily Fraser who took gold. In silver position was Martina Campi (Argentina) while Jake Hunter (Australia) won bronze.
Talented athletes
This was only the second Summer Youth Olympics – the first was held in Singapore in 2010.The event brings together talented athletes aged between 15 and 18, from all around the world.
It is based on the Olympic Games, with 28 sports on the summer programme and seven on the winter programme (the second Winter Youth Olympic Games will be in Lillehammer, Norway in February 2016).
This year’s Summer Youth Olympics saw more 3,500 athletes competing from more than 200 countries.