Burton won silver, a tearful tribute from fellow Aussies to the horse
Australia secured a silver
medal, providing a bright spot after a tough Monday night saw Opal and boxer
Harry Garside both beaten.
Garside's loss means his
chances of progressing to the Tokyo bronze are now in tatters, while Opal's
defeat to Nigeria leaves them with a challenging path to progress through the
group stages.
Day 3 was part of a rough
start for Australian athletes, with two swimming world champions failing to
qualify for their finals. However, Chris Burton's exceptional performance in
the eventing individual jumping final provided a much-needed boost.
In other highlights, the
women's rugby sevens topped their pool with another impressive win and a new
gold medal contender emerged in boxing.
** Burton won silver; Aussie
rider's tearful tribute to horses**
A few years ago, Chris Burton
switched from eventing to showjumping, only to return to eventing earlier this
year. That decision proved fruitful as Barton won silver in the eventing
individual jumping final on Tuesday morning.
Barton, who was third after
the dressage and cross-country stages, moved up to silver after the qualifying
round and delivered a superb performance in the final aboard his horse, Shadow
Man.
Speaking to Channel Nine,
Burton expressed his delight, saying, "I'm over the moon, even if I
thought I had a golden chance. Shadow Man is a really special animal, and I'm
blessed to be riding him. It was a great knowledge in Paris. .”
This silver medal is on top of
the bronze earned in Rio. Fellow Australian rider Shane Rose also competed,
although his earlier penalty kept him off the podium. Rose became emotional
during her interview, reflecting on her bond with her retired horse Virgil.
"He's a freak. I've spent
13 years with him, more like 15 years," Rose said, fighting back tears.
"Virgil played a big part in my recovery from a serious fall, and sharing
this moment with him Special."
The Opals struggled after a
slow start at the Olympics
Australia's Opals were tipped
to be tough medal contenders, but smarted a late 75-62 loss to Nigeria in their
opening game. Despite a late rally after trailing 41-28 at halftime, they
couldn't overcome a inactive start, with Lauren Jackson calling the recital a
"disaster."
"It was a disaster
there," Jackson said. "Free throws can decide the outcome, and we
missed important ones."
The Opals now face an uphill
battle to advance from the group stage with upcoming games against Canada and
France. They started their Monday night game well, taking an early 8-2 lead
against Nigeria, with forward Izzy Magbegor and debutant Jade Melbourne making
notable contributions.
