NUMBERS FROM EVENTING

998 – the number of days Australia’s Chris Burton spent out of the sport of eventing before returning this season and taking individual silver in Paris.

10 – cross-country clear rounds inside the time over Pierre La Goupil’s track.

4 – riders finished on their dressage score.

21.8 – the new Olympic record score set by Michael Jung.

5 – German Olympic champions in-a-row: Hinrich Romeike (2008), Michael Jung (2012, 2016 and 2024), Julia Krajewski (2020).

Who said what:

Julia Krajewski (GER), who finished 14th individually with Nickel 21, on the pressure of coming to Paris as the defending Olympic champion: “It’s a new horse, new Games, a new page. I wouldn’t want to put the weight of stepping into those shoes on Nickel, because it’s different. People recognise me more, but that’s it!” Krawjewski added that her 2020 champion, Amande de B’Neville, is now breeding and carrying her own foal.

Liz Halliday (USA) on coming into the team the day before the competition started, and her Irish Sport Horse Cooley Nutcracker: “It’s a really odd place to be in emotionally, because the first thing I felt was devastation for Will [Coleman], because I’ve been there before in Tokyo; I was in the spot, and I didn’t get to go. So, you’re overwhelmed with the fact that you move into the spot, and also overwhelmed with sadness for your teammate. And then it’s time to sort of get to business. And it goes from shock to ‘Okay, now I’m going to just be a competitor again’. He’s a horse that went through Cooley Farm as young horse, then went to France, and then I found him via Maxime Levio. He’s just become the most wonderful horse, I just think the world of him.”

Australia’s Chris Burton was bored of doing media after winning individual silver with Shadow Man. “I’ve been whisked away, I’ve been taken for a urine sample, I’ve been taken from press conference to press conference asking the same generic crap. All I want to do is see my mates and colleagues on the team and my wife and family and have a beer, but I’ll catch up, don’t worry.”

Austin O’Connor on the atmosphere in Versailles: “I’ve never ever ridden in an atmosphere like it, it’s incredible from the get go to the finish.” Asked if he saw any Irish flags, he replied: “Everywhere! It’s really unbelievable stuff, I know I shouldn’t be looking, but the crowd are on top of you. People are screaming your name and you’re seeing flags and it’s just brilliant.”