Jessica Springsteen.Photo: Friso Gentsch/picture alliance via Getty Images
Jessica Springsteenis one step closer to her first Olympic medal.
The U.S. equestrian jumping team earned a spot in Saturday’s team show jumping final at theTokyo Summer Olympicsfollowing their quality performance on Friday. Springsteen, 29, advanced alongside teammates Laura Kraut and McLain Ward — who previously won gold together at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.
The team finished fifth in the competition, easily advancing to the final. Both Springsteen and Kraut displaced one rail for four penalty points each, while Ward finished with five penalties.
“Jessie’s brilliant,” Ward told reporters afterwards, perESPN. “The horse is brilliant. She’s had actually a little bit of bad luck. Her horse jumps phenomenal, and I think will deliver a clear tomorrow.''
Springsteen is currently ranked14th in the worldin show jumping, and secured her spot on theU.S. equestrian rosteron July 6.In Tokyo, she has been navigating challenging courses of five and a half-foot fences astride Don Juan van de Donkhoeve, a 12-year-old Belgian Warmblood stallion.
“It’s the biggest honor,” she previouslytold PEOPLEof competing for Team USA. “Throughout my career, representing my country has been my goal, and so to be doing so at the Olympics, it’s a huge honor. I couldn’t be more excited.”
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“My family has gotten so involved in the sport, it’s a huge passion for them,” she says. “They’ve all been on this journey with me, so I wish we could be there together, but it’s important that that everyone stays safe. That’s the most important thing.”
“I’m constantly on the phone with them, my friends, every day. Everyone is so excited,” she added.
To learn more about Team USA, visitTeamUSA.org. Watch the Tokyo Olympics now on NBC.
source: people.com
