Michelle George won the gold medal in the singles freestyle (5th degree) dressage for the disabled at the Paralympic Games in Tokyo on Monday. This is her sixth medal at the Paralympic Games, and the second in Japan after her gold in the individual test last Thursday.
The 47-year-old West Flemish rider posted the highest score of 80.590% with her horse best of 8. She beat Dutchman Frank Husmar (with Alphaville), in second place with 80.240%. Bronze went to German Regine Mispelkamp (with Highlander Delight’s), in third place with a score of 76.820%.
George’s counter now stands at no fewer than six Paralympic medals. At the 2012 London Olympics she also won gold (singles and singles) twice, and four years later she won gold (individuals) and silver (singles) in Rio de Janeiro with her former horse Reinmann. With five gold medals, Michel Georges is now one of the most successful Belgian Paralympics ever.
“I can not Talk”
“What can I say?” said Michelle George. “I came here with a young mare and she is showing the world what she can do, it is amazing. I knew she could do it, but I thought it was a little early to let her do it in this kind of circumstance. But she did. It was a magical historical evening. In London 2012 I won gold twice in my first games with Rainman. Here I am now doing the same in my first best game. I think the hard work is paying off and I’m optimistic about the future.”
Kevin Van Ham finished eighth with Eros van Hoss Heim and last with 70.860%. He previously placed seventh in the individual test to qualify for a freestyle competition (with the top eight).
Earlier in the day, Manon Claes was good for a bronze medal in her freestyle (4th degree), her third place in these Paralympics after taking her first bronze in the individual test. Team Belgium now has seven medals at the Paralympic Games. Therefore, it occupies the twenty-second place in the medal standings. Table tennis player Laurens Devos (Class 9) won the gold, table tennis player Florian Van Acker (Class 11) and Gret Hoyt and pilot Anneleen Monsieur (1000m track trial, World Cup class) won the bronze.
Read also.Amazon Manon Claes Wins Second Bronze Medal at the Paralympics: “Is that really true?”
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