- Jumping Horse Gold in Paris: Tears at Kukuk and the Grandmother
Christian Kukuk covered his face with his hands and sank to his knees in the moment of triumph. As the German show jumper realized his Olympic gold win, his sister Jennifer was the first to run up to him and leap into his arms. "Crazy, simply crazy," commented his coach Ludger Beerbaum.
Kukuk spent some anxious minutes in the warm-up area at the Palace of Versailles after his stellar performance before the first German show jumping gold in 24 years and the 100th German equestrian medal at the Olympics was secured. His horse Checker, which also belongs to football star Thomas Müller, had carried him to gold.
The rider watched on the large screen some thirty meters away as first the Dutchman Maikel van der Vleuten and later the silver medalist Steve Guerdat of Switzerland made mistakes. "I really sagged," said the winner later. "A few tears flowed, I was very moved."
"Completely calm"
"It's just an emotional moment," Kukuk reported. "Being a gold medalist and going into the history books, I have to let that sink in first." Remarkably, he was "completely calm" before the rounds, he reported. His strategy as the first rider in the jump-off was to put pressure on his two competitors with a quick round. "That was their downfall," he said.
A particular skill helped him. He can "concentrate well and channel my tension," said Kukuk. "I'm not the nervous type. I'm matter-of-fact and try to put things in perspective." Now he has won the jubilee medal for Germany.
Thomas Müller also owns the horse
"The performance we delivered here was simply brilliant," said Kukuk. Indeed, he was the only rider to have a fault-free round in both the first round and the jump-off. Checker, the horse of former World Cup winner Müller and Beerbaum patron Madeleine Winter-Schulze, was in top shape.
The joy in the German team was great, and Kukuk had plenty of support, with his whole family and many friends present. "The only one who's not here is my grandmother," said Kukuk. "But she's sitting in front of the TV and - I believe - crying her eyes out." The winner himself shed tears during the victory ceremony.
"Very emotional"
"Very emotional," said national coach Otto Becker, who also had to swallow hard. "That's just mega. That Christian brought it home like that makes me very happy and very proud." The relief was "great that the sporting drought at the Games has ended." Becker's Olympic record after 16 years as national coach "was previously in need of improvement." The feeling is indescribable."
With the fourth German gold in Versailles - in the presence of IOC President Thomas Bach - the German equestrian festival in royal surroundings is perfect. Previously, Michael Jung had triumphed in eventing, and in dressage, Jessica von Bredow-Werndl won gold in both team and individual competitions.
"I started as an intern"
"I have to let that sink in first," commented Beerbaum. The mental tension was greater for him than when he himself was still in the saddle, the four-time Olympic champion admitted: "Back then, you were focused on the riding." Kukuk started as an intern at Beerbaum's sports and trading stable and has been employed as a stable master since 2012.
With Kukuk's victory, a long drought for the show jumpers came to an end: the last gold in the team event was in 2000 in Sydney. The last individual Olympic victory by Ulrich Kirchhoff is even 28 years ago.
It was an extremely challenging course, with only three riders making it to the jump-off. "I've never seen such a course," Kukuk commented on the tough first round, securing himself a medal before the jump-off. "That's crazy," said the medal winner. World champion and top favorite Henrik von Eckermann, formerly Kukuk's colleague, fell with his horse King Edward and was eliminated.
Weishaupt praises team colleague
His teammate Philipp Weishaupt praised Kukuk: "He's incredibly focused, always very concentrated and always 100% prepared. He leaves nothing to chance. He plans his day from morning till evening, gives everything for the sport - and his success proves him right."
Weishaupt himself had previously been eliminated with Zineday due to five penalty points, making "a silly mistake that doesn't usually happen." Since the team had only finished fifth earlier, his personal week had been disappointing. But at least, he said, Kukuk "saved the honor of the show jumpers."
Kukuk expressed his gratitude towards Thomas Müller and Madeleine Winter-Schulze for providing him with Checker, a horse that played a significant role in his Olympic victory. Other vegetables were part of Kukuk's post-victory celebration feast with his family and friends, adding diversity to their meal.
