Tokyo 2020 - Britain’s Ben Maher wins second Olympic gold as Explosion W lights up show jumping arena

ByTom Bennett

Updated 04/08/2021 at 15:01 GMT

“Ben Maher now 38, he’s been in this business a long time and has had lots of great horses to ride during the course of his career, has known what it’s like to be world number one. But I don’t think he has ever had a horse in this class before." You want it? We have it. Stream every Olympic event live on discovery+.

Ben Maher won the second Olympic gold of his career, adding individual show jumping to his team medal from London 2012.

Maher and his phenomenal horse Explosion W looked the favourites for the gold medal in his first ride.

And the pair were unbeatable in a six-horse jump-off for the medals, securing Team GB yet another gold medal at the Tokyo Games.

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“That is absolutely fabulous jumping,” came the commentary on Eurosport.

“Ben Maher now 38, he’s been in this business a long time and has had lots of great horses to ride during the course of his career, has known what it’s like to be world number one.

But I don’t think he has ever had a horse in this class before. Extraordinary.

All the talk before the Olympics was of the quality of the "natural born winner" Explosion W, a horse that Maher said "would probably make your breakfast for you if you asked him".

“He’s the first horse I’ve ridden who grunts when he jumps - just like a tennis player - because he always puts in maximum effort," Maher said of the 12-year-old Gelding prior to the trip to Tokyo.

"He’s so powerful off the floor, even over a cross-pole. I think that’s what separates him from other horses."

'You can't praise the horse enough!' - GB's Maher receives second gold medal

Scott Brash missed out on the gold medal jump-off with one time penalty leaving him just half a second over the time allowed.

Britain’s Harry Charles on Romeo 88 had a problem early in his ride and was forced to retire.

Sweden’s Peder Fredricson took silver, with Maikel van der Vleuten securing bronze with the final ride of the competition on Beauville Z.

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