The Olympian must hide the "wow" trauma
She likely painted the worst image of the 2021 Olympic Games: Annika Zillekens, in desperation, struck her horse during the Modern Pentathlon. Her tears remained, a trial and death threats followed. Life has changed for the 34-year-old since then - in Paris, it's all about a personal mission.
The final ride changed everything. Three years have passed since the competition that became a trauma for Annika Zillekens and the Modern Pentathlon. A desperate rider, a distressed horse. Tears. Pain. Whip and spurs. The drama from Tokyo flickered onto TV screens worldwide. Those who hadn't muted their devices heard Kim Raisner, the national coach, urging her overwhelmed athlete through the external microphones, "Go on, hit it!"
Zillekens hits it, on Saint Boy, her assigned horse that wouldn't comply even under force. Brutal scenes unfold. It's about gold. In the end, Zillekens, who competed under her maiden name Schleu at the time, loses more than a medal. She's branded a horse abuser, faces a court trial. Her reputation is tarnished.
Much time has passed since then. Zillekens has married and taken a maternity break. When she returned to the Olympic stage on Thursday with fencing in Paris, winning 17 out of 35 bouts, it wasn't primarily about the podium. Now, on Saturday and Sunday, it will be crucial for her. The 34-year-old wants to make peace with the Olympics, the event that motivated her for over a decade.
"Made into horse killers"
Zillekens doesn't ignore the past, but it's just that - the past. "I simply accepted that it's part of my story, not necessarily the most beautiful one," she told Die Zeit. Ugly also because of online insults and even death threats that were dark chapters of that story. "We've been made into horse killers," Raisner recently told Münchner Merkur/tz, despite justified criticism.
Zillekens will be under special scrutiny due to her past. This also applies to her sport. In Paris, an 112-year tradition ends. The controversial riding event, which has been a topic of debate since Zillekens' trauma in Tokyo, will no longer be part of the competition program after these Games. In the future, the new obstacle event will be used. The reform has saved the Modern Pentathlon's place in the Olympic program.
Riding rules changed
The final ride will be different. Scenes like those in Tokyo should not repeat this weekend. The rules have changed. The course is shortened. Among other things, there are two fewer obstacles, each ten centimeters lower. "The French," Raisner told SID, "have put in a lot of effort to prepare the horses very well." Horses that fit this format: "We are well prepared. We want to show that we are good riders."
A new format, a new situation, a new horse, a new chance. Tokyo is out of their minds. "We want to look to the future," Raisner said. And keep the Olympics in beautiful memory. "If it's enough for a medal - that would be crazy. But even with a top ten place, I can leave contentedly," Zillekens said. Her final ride is approaching.
After the controversy surrounding her actions during the 2021 Modern Pentathlon competition, Annika Zillekens has expressed that she's focused on her mission in Paris, not just winning a medal. Horse racing, which includes Modern Pentathlon, has been a subject of debate, leading to the end of the controversial riding event in future Olympic competitions.
Despite the backlash, the riding rules have been changed for the modern pentathlon final ride in Paris, aiming to prevent any future incidents similar to Zillekens' controversial 2021 competition.
