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THOMAS MULLER is celebrating after his horse became an Olympic champion.
The Bayern Munich star is a co-owner of Checker, the horse ridden by German Christian Kukuk as the pair won gold.
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Kukuk came out on top in a dramatic jump-off against two Olympic medallists Steve Guerdat and Maikel van der Vleuten, who finished second and third respectively.
Checker cleared every hurdle in the final round, the only horse to do so, to win Germany’s first individual showjumping Olympic gold for 28 years.
Muller was delighted by the achievement and he shared his congratulations to the rider after the event.
He said in a social media video: “It’s golden – we are Olympic winners.
“Hats off to what you have done with Checker in the last year and a half. I am so excited. Let yourself go and celebrate now.”
Muller, 34, even thanked his manager Vincent Kompany for holding training in the afternoon, which allowed him to watch his horse deliver a historic event.
Kukuk also revealed his delight at winning gold and he reflected on the length of time it has taken for Germany to reclaim top spot in the event.
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He told Olympics.com: “I’m just feeling very emotional, proud, happy of winning this gold medal today.
“It is something special. Not many people won a gold medal in show jumping. Only a few and I’m one of them now and this will stay forever and this is incredible, but I need a few more days to really realise it.
“We were struggling with this gold medal. It’s 28 years ago the last one and that’s a long time for such a horse country. I’m happy that I’m the next one and hopefully it doesn’t take 28 years again for the next one, so I’m looking forward for the future.”
Muller loves horses and has a special bond with those he owns, partly thanks to his wife Lisa being a competitive dressage rider.
During the Olympics German TV even cut away from a Germany Women’s match to show a clip of Muller playing with one of his horses.
