World Gold for France in the Pas de Deux
The Aachen arena came alive during the Pas de Deux final at the World Vaulting Championship. Following a masterclass performance, French duo Théo Gardies and Noely Thibaudat captured the supreme title. Paired with Sir Sensation and guided by lunger Sirine Abousaïd, the French vaulting pair delivered two emotionally charged free tests.
The judges rewarded the fluid technical elegance of the French vaulters with a perfect score of 10 in artistry. This outstanding performance propelled France to the top step of the podium ahead of Italy and Germany.
Pas de Deux Final Standings
- Gold medal: France
- Silver medal: Italy
- Bronze medal: Germany
- Fourth place: Austria
- Fifth place: Switzerland
French Squad Claims Team Silver
The French team added to their tally in the Prize of Sparkasse with a superb silver medal in the official Squad final. Team France delivered a solid collective performance, defined by outstanding synchronization and technical precision throughout their routine.
Germany triumphed on home turf to retain their World title in front of a home crowd after a fiercely competitive final. France earned the silver spot on the podium, reaffirming their status as a global powerhouse in vaulting.
Michael Jung at the Peak of His Powers on Home Soil
The finale of the eventing competition at the 2026 Aachen World Championships delivered drama until the very end. Aboard his trusty 18-year-old gelding fischerChipmunk FRH, Michael Jung produced a masterclass in the final show jumping phase. Holding the lead following a demanding cross-country test, the German rider showed nerves of steel, delivering a flawless clear round to finish on his dressage score of 23.0 penalties and claim individual gold in front of a home crowd.
This victory adds to an already unmatched record. A four-time Olympic champion (individual and team in London 2012, individual in Rio 2016 and Paris 2024), individual World champion in Lexington in 2010, six-time European champion, and winner of the prestigious Grand Slam of Eventing, the German legend solidifies his status as one of the sport's all-time greats.
The pressure was immense, with Great Britain's Rosalind Canter pushing the leader to the wire. Partnered with Lordships Graffalo, Canter also produced a clear jumping round to take silver on 23.4 penalties. Her teammate Laura Collett, riding London 52, completed an impressive individual podium in third on 28.0 penalties, despite picking up four faults over the fences.
Great Britain Crowned Team Champions; France 11th Despite Strong Individual Grouping
In the team standings, British dominance remained unchallenged. Spearheaded by Canter and Collett alongside Tom McEwen's consistent performance aboard JL Dublin (seventh individually), Great Britain captured World gold with a total score of 84.0 penalties. Germany took silver on home soil with 95.6 penalties, while the United States secured bronze on 113.5 penalties, bolstered by a strong fourth-place individual finish from William Coleman and Diabolo.
For the French squad, the team result proved bittersweet. Ruled out of top team contention following heavy penalties on cross-country and the withdrawal of Nicolas Touzaint before the final horse inspection, France finished eleventh overall (265.8 penalties). Nevertheless, the French riders shone individually, jumping three clear rounds over the fences to place three combinations inside the top 10:
- Gaspard Maksud and Zaragoza delivered a flawless performance to finish 5th in the world (30.9 penalties).
- Astier Nicolas and Alertamalib'Or mounted a strong comeback to finish 8th (32.7 penalties).
- Alexis Goury and Je'Vall capped a highly consistent week to round out the top 10 in 10th place (34.9 penalties).
Following his successful round, Gaspard Maksud reflected on the team's strong performance in show jumping and his mare's form:
“All three of us jumped clear, which shows that all the hard work behind the scenes paid off, and we have to thank everyone who guides us every day. We’ve always delivered when called upon: whenever we’re asked to represent Team France, we know how to step up and deliver results.”
Qualification Rules for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games
France failed to secure a team Olympic berth in Aachen, where only the top seven nations (excluding host nation USA) earned direct qualification for the Los Angeles 2028 Games.
However, qualification remains well within reach for the French squad through the remaining slots in the FEI qualification system:
- The 2027 European Championship in Avenches (Switzerland), awarding two team quotas to the highest-placed unqualified European nations;
- The 2027 FEI Eventing Nations Cup series, offering one final team ticket to the overall series winner;
- The FEI Olympic Individual Ranking (as of December 31, 2027), allowing up to two individual qualification spots should team qualification fall through.
Rest Day on Monday Before the Next Events
Following four intense days of eventing, the Aachen World Championships take a break from competition on Monday, August 17. This rest day will give delegations and horses time to recover before show jumping, driving, and para-dressage get underway later in the week.
