Booo hooo. I really thought Canada had a shot at another medal. It just wasn’t our night. It also wasn’t the Americans’. Like Rodrigo said yesterday at the press conf when he was asked to comment on the top three teams’ prospects for medals, “we are all sitting pretty here right now in 1,2 and 3, but tomorrow we might be 6, 7 and 8.” The Germans were the only ones to hold their ground on the podium, winning gold no less. The French and Belgians came from behind Canada to finish silver and bronze, with Brazil sliding to fourth and Canada settling at fifth. I feel very badly for poor Yann and Jonathon. Obviously they gave it their all. Fortunately all is not lost – Eric is sitting fourth and John is fifth individually. Less than a point separates them from Rodrigo in the lead. I fully expect more nail biting on Friday.
So here is my final beef of the day. I realize the Americans are feeling very gypped right now. Their teams have been shut out of medals in dressage, eventing and now jumping. But please people. Don’t clear the stands before the medal ceremonies! Be gracious hosts and stay until your guests have collected their hard-earned medals. This is international sport, not a bingo game. And besides – right this minute you are all sitting in the appalling traffic jam at the exits of the parking lots anyway.
Actually, there is one more thing – I don’t imagine any of you are waiting on the edges of your seats for the report on my interview with Holland’s candidate for FEI prez, Henk Rottinghuis. And that’s just as well because in spite of my being invited in particular to interview him, and in spite of my hanging about the media centre on Friday afternoon so that I could be easily found, I never met him. I would happily have written about all the reasons he would make a terrific new man in charge of Mission Control, only I can’t because as of right now the only thing I know about him is that he doesn’t care that much about keeping appointments.
