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Rider sets new Paralympic record score as she claims last equestrian gold of the Tokyo Games

Pippa Roome Pippa Roome

    • US rider Roxanne Trunnell set a new Paralympics dressage record score today when she claimed the gold in the grade I freestyle at the Tokyo Games.

    Riding nine-year-old black gelding Dolton, Roxanne scored four 10s – and only received two scores below eight – on the way to a final mark of 86.927%.

    “It felt brilliant, good with the music the whole time,” said Roxanne, adding that she has had a great overall experience in Tokyo. “Everyone’s so happy and friendly, which makes everyone in the barn, happy – it’s just fun.”

    Roxanne has ridden all her life and aspired to be an Olympian in able-bodied dressage, earning the United States Dressage Federation bronze medal before contracting a virus in 2009 that changed her life. The virus caused swelling on the brain, put her in a coma and resulted in her requiring a wheelchair.

    The medallists in this Paralympics dressage freestyle were the same as in the individual test earlier in the Games, with Latvia’s Rihards Snikus (King Of The Dance) in silver on 82.087%. These are Rihards’ first Paralympic medals after top-six finishes at London 2012 and Rio 2016. The rider, who has cerebral palsy, is also a DJ.

    Italy’s Sara Morganti took the bronze on Royal Delight with a mark of 81.1%, with her two medals here giving huge joy after Royal Delight failed the first trot-up at Rio 2016.

    She said: “I’m in bad shape physically and when I go back to Italy, I have to have treatment. But I wanted so much to come here. I’ve been working so much, especially after what happened in 2016 – I wanted to do something that would cancel that forever.”

    Sara rode to music from the Disney film Raya and the Last Dragon, which has special meaning for her with its themes of good and evil.

    The para dressage in Tokyo is now complete, after five fantastic days of sport.

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    Pippa Roome
    Pippa Roome

    H&H magazine editor and eventing editor
    Pippa is a true eventing geek and has been H&H’s eventing editor since 2005. She has first-hand experience of competing up to British Eventing intermediate and international CCI2*-L level, and has worked in the industry on a top event yard. Pippa enjoys nothing more than immersing herself in the sport at the highest level, reporting from the five-stars and international championships, including the Olympics.
    Pippa Roome

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