Germany cemented its domination of Olympic equestrian dressage on Wednesday, as Jessica von Bredow-Werndl won individual Olympic gold and her teammate Isabell Werth took home silver.
"At times I felt like I was riding in and out of a fire, on the edge of a knife," an elated von Bredow-Werndl told reporters after performing on her mare Dalera to the soundtrack of the film "La La Land". "How far can I go, how much risk can I take? But it all worked out."
Germany also won a gold in the dressage team event.
Two Americans finished in the Top 10. Sabine Schut-Kery finished fifth and Steffen Peters placed 10th.
Werth, already her sport's most successful Olympian before Tokyo, retained the individual silver she won at Rio in 2016 to take her 12th medal at the age of 52.
"If I'm capable of competing, it is possible you will see me in Paris," Werth said with a grin, referring to the host city of the 2024 Games.
Britain's Charlotte Dujardin, the individual winner in Rio and the holder of the Olympic record for freestyle dressage, finished third this time to become her country's most decorated female Olympian.
She competed on the relatively inexperienced Gio, whom she calls Pumpkin, and who succeeded Valegro, the horse on which she celebrated some of her biggest wins.
"He had no idea what he was doing... (but) he is going to be a superstar," Dujardin said, adding it was the first time he had ridden the full combination of her ride to music.
SEE MORE: Germany wins gold in team dressage; U.S. rides to silver
