Jens Fredricson is living as the absolute protagonist of the FEI Jumping European Championship Milano 2023, which concludes tomorrow at the San Siro Racecourse. After contributing significantly to Sweden's team gold medal victory, the 55-year-old Swede will face the individual final while leading the provisional standings with zero penalties.
Nevertheless, he continues to describe himself as 'only' the older brother of the more famous and decorated Peder (4 Olympic medals, 2 World Championships, and 3 European titles), even though, in reality, he has been the one upholding the family name in recent times. It's precisely this family affair that makes tomorrow's individual final even more important for Jens, as he has the opportunity to equal his brother's gold at the European Championships in Gothenburg in 2017.
If he succeeds in this endeavor, and there's every reason to believe he will do everything to achieve it, Jens and Peder Fredricson would become the second pair of brothers to win a continental European title after the legendary Alwin and Paul Schockemoehle, thus writing another page in the history of equestrian sports.
The Swedish rider, however, remains firmly grounded. He knows very well that tomorrow, alongside his phenomenal Markan Cosmopolit, he will have to give his best against formidable opponents. Just behind him in the provisional rankings ahead of the final reserved for the 'top 25' of the European Championship, there are indeed four other top-class riders like the Swiss Steve Guerdat, the Irishman Michael Duffy, the Frenchman Olivier Perreau, and the Briton Ben Maher, all within less than four penalties.
To aspire to a medal, none of them can afford an error, making the final of the 2023 European Championship in Milan one of the most thrilling ever.
The Top 25 riders who advanced from yesterday's competition, in which Sweden secured the team gold ahead of Ireland and Austria, are still led by the Swedish rider Jens Fredricson (riding Markan Cosmopolit, 0 penalties), who has been at the top since the first round on Wednesday.
In the standings, he is followed by the other two riders who have also collected three clear rounds so far: Swiss rider Steve Guerdat (riding Dynamix de Belheme, 0.43), Irish rider Michael Duffy (riding Cinca 3, 2.18), French rider Olivier Perreau (riding GL Events Dorai d'Aiguilly, 2.79), and British rider Ben Maher (Faltic HB, 3.13), all within less than four penalties.
The leaderboard remains wide open and uncertain. Among the finalists are also the other three who contributed to Sweden's victory in the team competition: Henrik von Eckermann (8th with Iliana, 4.70), Rolf Goran Bengtsson (13th with Zuccero, 8.81), and Wilma Hellstrom (18th with Cicci BJN, 9.50).
Source: Milano Jumping