Olympics: Nicholson left to think of what might have been

Andrew Nicholson and Nereo successfully clear the second water jump during the individual eventing cross country at Greenwich Park Equestrian Centre. Photo / AP.

Andrew Nicholson isn't one to forgive easily and he was still furious about his controversial dressage test yesterday that was delayed by 10 minutes because of a thunder storm and cost him a chance of Olympic gold in the individual three-day event.

The 51-year-old took out his frustrations on the cross country course this morning (NZT), coming home nearly nine seconds under the allotted time. The course commentator suggested Nicholson had wasted energy because he normally knows how to judge it so finely he finishes within about a second of the time.

"You don't want to listen to commentators, They don't have any knowledge whatsoever.'' Nicholson said flippantly.

He probably holds similar views of the grand jury who yesterday called a highly-unusual 10-minute delay immediately before his dressage test which unsettled his horse Nereo.

Nicholson was still about it after his cross country ride because, in many ways, his ride this morning (NZT) only confirmed his belief he could win.

"I won't forgive them for what they did yesterday,'' the world No 2 said.

"It's all very well they think I can play catch-up but why should I be on a handicap compared to the other riders?

"It wasn't yesterday that fired me up for the ride today. This is the horse's spatiality and my speciality but, for sure, I was fired up yesterday and I haven't got over it yet. What they did to me yesterday was a disgrace.

"I have expressed it to anyone and everyone who will listen and if they don't want to listen I will still express it to them.

"I expected to go clear and fast today and I expect to jump two clear runs tomorrow. I didn't expect to be handicapped in the dressage.''

Nicholson is known for his short fuse and some believe it's just sour grapes. But for Nicholson, who has never won an individual Olympic medal in his seventh Games, it hurts. He was so confident heading into the competition, he almost expected to win.

He's not out of it entirely, sitting in ninth on 45.00 penalties and just over a rail behind leaders Ingrid Klimke (Germany) and Sara Algotsson Ostholt (Sweden), but gold seems beyond him. The competition has thrown up a few surprises and Nicholson has to believe it produces more tomorrow and the first could come in the vet check in the morning prior to the show jumping phase.

"He's the best jumper I have ever had,'' he said. "Show jumping is one of those things that if you rub a pole a little too hard it falls down and you get four penalties.

"If I ride him like I normally ride and he jumps like he normally jumps, I think we can peg them back over two rides.''

The show jumping will be contested over two rounds. The first counts for both the individual and team's event and the second, for just the top 25 riders, will decide the individual placings.