top 10 finish for Tops-Alexander

Edwina Tops-Alexander has finished equal ninth at the individual show jumping after knocking one rail in the final round of competition at the Olympic Equestrian Centre.

The 42 year-old triple Olympian and her 13 year-old mare Lintea Tequila, were looking good until they knocked the rail at fence 9A – just two fences from the finish.

“It was a bit unexpected,” said Tops-Alexander. 

“I didn’t realise that line was going to ride as short as it did. I walked it a little bit outside but it was an outside short nine (strides) and I was maybe a bit too direct and short.

“Unfortunately, there wasn’t the space for me to come anymore and the last stride was too small and I didn’t have enough momentum and it was too wide for her.

“It was riding a little bit different to how it walked. A lot of people were doing eight strides; I saw two go but she’s not a horse to take out strides with. The decision of distance was right; I just didn’t get there the way I needed to.”

While Tops-Alexander was disappointed with her result, she was proud of her mare.

“I’m extremely happy with her performance, I had a great feeling from the beginning with her,” she said. 

[...]

It was Tops-Alexander’s equal best Olympic result after also finishing ninth in Beijing. She finished 20^th in London.

Ending in a high-pressure six round jump-off, it was the British combination of Nick Skelton and Big Star which took the gold.

This afternoon’s final marks the end of the equestrian events in Rio.

READ THE FULL STORY ON THE AOC WEBSITE.

AOC Media Team