Australia chase first showjumping medals
Australia has been winning Olympic equestrian medals since the Rome Games in 1960, but none from showjumping.
On Friday, Edwina Tops-Alexander and Matt Williams have the opportunity to change that when they ride in the individual showjumping final at the Rio Games in Deodoro.
The final is held over two rounds with the field cut from 35 to the best 20 for the second and deciding session.
Australia has won 12 Olympic medals in its proud history in equestrian, with all of them coming in eventing, leaving the other two disciplines - showjumping and dressage - yet to break the duck.
Three-time Olympian Tops-Alexander, a European-based global star of the sport, progressed to the final after finishing equal 23rd in the third round aboard mare Lintea Tequila.
Apart from a time penalty in the opening round, Tops-Alexander has been pleased with her competition.
"After I watched the video five or 10 times (after the first round), I saw the places where I was just way too wide and normally I'm not like that," she said.
Florida-based Williams, who is from rural Victoria, is also competing in his third Olympics and squeezed his way into the final despite finishing one point outside the top 35 riders aboard Valinski S.
Germany and Switzerland each had four riders qualified for the final but only three per team can compete in the last round of showjumping, so Williams was bumped up the order.
Standing in the Australia's way is a field including Beijing 2008 individual jumping gold medallist Eric Lamaze who has been in sensational form in Rio.
All penalty points accrued in the earlier three rounds are wiped from riders' scores.
"Starting with a clean slate is good. Our worst day was the first day but he (Valinski S) seems to be getting better and will appreciate the day off," Williams said.
