The Swedish riders advanced in the first round of the European Championship in jumping and suddenly a medal did not feel quite impossible.
Before the second round, Peder Fredricson was sixth and Henrik von Eckermann fifth. But Peder Fredricson's All In got a boom in the combination and the medal chances smoked.
Henrik von Eckermann's Mary Lou has not touched a boom, but landed in the water trenches in two classes. However, now that demolition came, Mary Lou also tore into the combination and it was clear that there was no Swedish medal. Henrik von Eckermann finished sixth and Peder Fredricson seven.
Instead, Swiss Martin Fuchs made sure to put a lot of pressure on Ben Maher.
Maher went out last and couldn't afford a demolition, but that was exactly what happened at the end of the track and Martin Fuchs, second at the World Cup last year, took home the gold.
- He jumped fantastic, so here's the sport. I didn't think he deserved one down, but I got it a little short there. We must look back and bring the positive with us, says Ben Maher.