Versatility: Krajewski wins Olympia gold in a single - Tokyo

Julia Krajewski kept her nerves and screamed her joy over Olympia gold in the night sky of Tokyo. As the last starter of the versatility competition, the 32-year-old from Warendorf had to ride in the course on Monday on Monday, could not afford a throw with her mare Amande - and she stopped this pressure, remained error-free and tore the fist with joy in the height.

This gold is also a "fabric made of films" for the rider. Because Krajewski last a few years "with personal, sad moments, everything you can experience on and off". In Tokyo, it did not go downhill now, but on the top pod. She won in front of the British Tom McEwen with Toledo and the Australian Andrew Hoy with Vassily as the first woman gold in the individual ruling.

Immaculate railing with two faultless rounds in jumping

Krajewski crowned a catch-up for fourth place in the dressage and a flawless railing with two faultless rounds in jumping. She secured Germany the fourth single gold in series to Hinrich Romeeke 2008 as well as Michael Jung 2012 and 2016. The rider from Lingen, which has been a national coarin of the juniors since 2017, had a good starting position in the final round, because the previously leading Briton Oliver Townend with Ballaghmor Class had a drop.

National coach Hans Melzer described the rider as a "cool" and certified her a "tunnel view". And with the mare called full name Amande de B'Neville, she has a horse, "that jumps very well". Melzer said, "That she can, we knew." But that they had already loved two in front of Tokyo in rank, also referred to the coach as "surprisingly".

from the pitchmarie to the golden rider

Krajewski had to cope with some setbacks in recent years. But Melzer had always awarded her courage, as he revealed, "I said that too, sometime the day comes, because you stand on the podium after the many back and forth." He praised: "She worked great."

The rider actually had to cope with setbacks. In 2016 she slipped into the Rio team as a substitute rider on the last pusher, but the debutant arrived after three refusals in the terrain with Samourai - silver for the team ranking she got anyway.

The EM 2017 was unhappy, when the substance Firocoxib was found during her horse Samourai, which is allowed to therapeutic purposes in training, but not in the competition. "Of course, neither I nor someone from my environment administered this substance," said the rider at that time, which had nevertheless been subsequently disqualified.

Heavy weighing the loss of Chipmunk. The contract for the horse between the rider and Hilmer Meyer Kulenkampff was not extended. The horse then went to young in 2019, which now rode it with the games in Tokyo.

No team medal

Previously, Krajewski had missed a medal on Monday afternoon with the team. In the final jump, the team was still improved from the sixth in fourth place. A better placement had awarded Krajewski, Sandra Fallh from Ganderkesee with Viamant and Michael Jung from Horb with Chipmunk in dressage and especially in the railing.

The national coach spoke after the end of the team competition of "damage limitation". Melzer said, "We have become fourth, we can be satisfied with it. We rode a bit forward." Gold went to the trio of Great Britain from Australia and France.

Melzer says goodbye

For Melzer, the farewell to Olympia remained without a team medal. The 70-year-old from Salzhausen finishes his job as a national coach after the season and had developed the reputation as a "Goldsmith" in the previous major events. With Melzer as a coach there was double gold at the 2008 games in Hong Kong and 2012 in London as well as at the World Championship 2014. Last in Rio, the team of Melzer Olympia-silver had won and young single gold.

Young, this time went completely empty, became aft in the end. In jumping, the three-time Olympic champion initially showed a flawless performance, collected in the second round in single but a drop. "That's very annoying," he commented.

The German medal winners of Tokyo