Olympics-Equestrian-Germany's Jung goes for another eventing gold
RIO DE JANEIRO, Aug 8 (Reuters) - Often called the best eventing rider of all time, Germany's Michael Jung aims on Tuesday to repeat Olympic gold with Sam, the same horse he rode to team and individual wins in 2012.
Jung and Sam will start the final day of the multi-discipline sport in second behind Australia's Christopher Burton while Germany, the team winner in 2008 and 2012, is in fourth.
"It's not often that you get to do two Olympics on the same horse. Sam is in fantastic form," Jung, 34, told Reuters.
A repeat was not always the plan, however, as Jung only turned to Sam, a 16-year-old German Sport Horse, a week before the animals were due to fly to Rio. His first and younger choice Takinou suffered an infection.
The eventing competition, one of three equestrian disciplines in the Olympics, tests riders on dressage, cross country and show jumping.
In 2012 Jung became the first eventing rider to hold the Olympic, European championship and world championship titles at the same time. In May, he became the first German to win the Badminton Horse Trials in England.
He also completed a consecutive triple of Burghley, Kentucky and Badminton that had been achieved previously only by Britain's Pippa Funnell in 2003.
"I have a really good team around me, that makes the sport for me," he said in an interview, adding that he particularly enjoys training young horses.
The last rider to repeat Olympic gold eventing medals on the same horse was New Zealand's Mark Todd with Charisma, in 1984 and 1988.
Jung's horse swap was not the only change made late in the eventing competition by the defending champions.
The Germans substituted Andreas Ostholt with Julia Krajewski on the eve of competition after Ostholt's horse lost a shoe in training.
Krajewski was one of 18 riders on Monday who did not finish what was widely considered the most difficult Olympic cross-country course in recent history.
Jung and Sam were one of only three pairs to escape penalties on Monday. The winner will be decided by the show jumping phase on Tuesday.
Jung told reporters Sam had been too worked up by the crowds and noise leaving the gate but settled towards the end with plenty of juice left for Tuesday's competition.
"He understands every question and I'm very happy to say he is very healthy," he said at a news conference. (Reporting by Caroline Stauffer; Editing by Meredith Mazzilli)
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