Dressage rider Emma Kanerva was 12th in the final competition with her record score of 81.607 at the Paris Olympics.
Riku Porvari,
Manu Myllyaho
Emma Kanerva and his horse Greek Air did great in the dressage individual final. The total score of 81.607 is Kanerva’s new record.
– This is absolutely amazing. I would never have believed in such success. Day by day the horse has improved and the results have improved. Two own records in these games. What can be said here? Absolutely incomprehensible, amazing, Kanerva rejoices in an interview with Urheilu.
Kanerva appeared in dressage at the Olympics three times. In the qualifying competition, the final of the team competition and the individual final competition.
Even though the previous performances went well, the third performance felt really great, the rider says.
– I just went to enjoy myself, and there was no longer the excitement that maybe there was in the first days. I really dared to enjoy, be and ride – it was really nice, Kanerva says and laughs.
With his success, Kanerva was 12th. Germany rode to Olympic gold Jessica von Bredow–Werndl and his horse TSF Dalera BB with a score of 90.093.
The public cheered the Finnish cavalry wonderfully
The free program performance started elegantly. The horse kept pace, was active and performed evenly. In the half stages, the change of paces and pirouettes were successful. The performance was perfect until the end, and when the program ended, Kanerva vented freely and patted her horse happily.
– It felt really good from the beginning. I had a little trouble with the music, so the horse is probably in much better shape than before doing this program. It has a little effect on how you can ride the program.
At the end of Kanerva’s program, the audience started cheering the Finnish rider and clapping their hands. Kanerva described the feeling as great, but was a little surprised.
– The audience started clapping in the middle of the performance, and then it’s a bit like “Oops, what’s going on here”. But the horse took it really well and maybe got the last push that we made it to the end.
Kanerva scored 75.929 percent for the technical performance of his free program and 87.286 percent for the artistic performance. The total result is therefore 81.607 percent.
– Somehow everything has just clicked into place. In fact, my coach (Wolfram Wittig) said that after four and a half years I finally understand what he has been meaning all along. Maybe I’ve messed something up this week, says Kanerva.
– We ended up at this point when the stars just aligned.
The Olympic Games in Paris were the second in Kanerva’s career. He also participated in dressage in London in 2012.
– Now a good foundation has been laid down here and a big dream has come true. Isn’t this a very light step towards the future, Kanerva rejoices.